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I^IilCE 50 CENTS. 



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AT HOME. 






BY ONE WHO HSS TRIED iT. 



V_-V. «i>^io-5KV 



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C'outaiiiir.g full dirtclions for ;iiakiiig in Nour own kitchen, about 
two hundred ind tilty ditTercnt kinds of 

Creams, Pastes. Nougats. Bonbons. Caramels, 

Fruit Glace. Chocolates, Jelly Creams. 
Mar:i!mmllows, Molasses Candies, Taffies. Cough Candies, 

Cream and Nut Bars, Chocolate Drops. Pastille Drops, 
Pulled Candies, Losengers, Sticks, Bars, Drops, 
Squares. Etc. ^^«^^" '^" '-^^ 



l^UBI.IHHED BY 

F. H. EVERSTON 6 

HOSTON, MASS 
1884.. 







COPYRIGHT BY 

F. Y. IIOTCHKISS, )V 

. 1884. 



NOTICE. 



''Candy Making at Eome" is the compilation of tlie 
results of sev^eral years of home experiments by the author, 
and is intended principally for the use of amateurs. Care 
has been taken to explain the subject as clearly as possible 
(even at the expense of repetition in many places) and it 
is earnestly requested that its readers will give the recipes 
a fair and honest trial, and that they will not hastily con- 
demn the book, simply because they may chance to fail in 
their first experiments. 

It is hoped that they will be patient, and remember that 
all the ''ins and outs" of candy making, cannot be learned 
in a day. It requires care and practice, like everything 
else, but, by adopting for a motto, the old proverb : "If 
at first you don't succeed, try, try, again," they will soon 
learn to make the most delicious candies at home. 

Lest any misunderstanding should arise, regarding the 
actual number of recipes in this book, it is thought best 
to explain that the different shapes or styles of the candies 
have been included in the summing up of the contents, 
as each one is, by right, a sepei'ate variety. 



CONTENTS. 

Part I. 

The adulteration of cheap candies. Page 1. 

Apparatus for Candy Making at Home : — Heat, vessels, 
covers, slab and bars, ruler, moulding-board, rolling- 
pin, hook, wooden spoons or spatulas, shears, knife, 
tin sheets, sieves or sifters, moulding trays, moul- 
ding patterns. Page 6. 

Colors : — Bed, yellow, pink and cream color. Page 9. 

Flavors, Extracts and Ingredients : — To make flavors, fil- 
tering, etc. Anise, capsicum, cinnamon, cloves, cofiee, 
ginger, lemon, liquorice, orange (oil of neroli), pep- 
permint, rose, spearmint, sassafras, vanilla, winter- 
green. Artificial Flavors. omitted. Formulae showing 
the preparation of artificial peach and banana essences. 
Pure bottled fruit juices harmless. Danger of Bitter 
Almond fiavor. Chocolate, cocoanut. Page 10. 

Sugar: — Molasses, white, yellow, and brown sugars. Loaf, 
crushed, granulated, pulverived, lozenge or icing su- 
gars. "Cofi'ee A," "P," etc. Sugar-house syrup. 

Page 19. 

Degrees of boiling Sugar: — The thread, the feather, the 
soft ball, the hard ball, the soft crack, the hard crack, 
and the caromel. Pao-e 20. 

Graining of the Sugar: — To control. Use of covers. To 
dispose of the grained sugar by. making it into syrup. 

Page 24-. 

Pulling Candy: — Reasons for giving instructions. Difier- 
ence between that properly pulled and that which 
is not. Page 26. 

Measures and Weights. Page 27. 

Observations and Eules. Pa^e 28. 



CONTENTS. n 



Part IL 

Pulled Candies: — Yanilla, lemon, rose, chocolate. Ice 
cream candy. Pnge 32. 

Pastille Drops: — Peppermint, rose, ginger. Fruit flavors: 
peach, orange, lemon, strawberry, raspberry, etc. 

Page 33. 

Molasses Candies, Taffies, Chips, etc.: — Old-fashioned, 
modern old-fashioned, home made, white, and store 
molasses candies. Plain everton (or butter), maple, 
cocoanut, chocolate, lemoji, Etighsh walnut, hazelnut, 
peanut, hickory nut, brazil nut, and butter nut taffies. 
Peppermint, sassafras, and wintergreen taffies. Boston 
chips, flakey-flinder candy. Page 34. 

Nut and Cream Bars: — Peanut, brazilnut, butternut, al- 
mond, English walnut, hickory nut, hazel nut, and 
pecan nut bars. Cocoanut cream bar. Page 37. 

Lozenges: — To prepare the gum. To make the dough. 
The cutter. Yariety of shapes. Flavors: — Anise, 
clove, peppermint, vanilla, wintergreen, cinnamon, 
cayenne, rose, ginger, lemon, orar.ge, marbled, tri- 
color, conversation, ring, crystal. Lozenge pipe 
coltsfoot rock or pipe Page 39. 

Cream AVork: — Cream bonbons divided into three classes: 
the rolled, cast, and dipped. Vanilla, lemon, rose, 
coffee, chocolate, and cocoanut. Tri-color bonbons. 
Cream nuts: sweet almonds, English walnuts, etc. 
Cream dates, raisins, apricots, strawberries, etc. Cho- 
colate creams. To coat chocolate creams. Chocolate 
cream bricks, roils, bars, sticks, mice, beetles, etc. 
Cocoanut creams. Form of bonbon made without 
cooking the sugar. Page 4%: 

Jelly Work: — Lemon, ruse. Assorted flavors: apple, crab- 



in CONTENTS. 



apple, cherry, currant, barberry, blackberry, elder- 
berry, grape, peach, plum, orange, qnince, raspberry , 
strawberry, whortleberry, wine. Jelly cream bricks 
and bonbons, flavored with lemon, rose, vanilla, cho- 
colate, coffee, orange, cocoanut. Dipped jelly bon- 
bons. Jelly chocolates. Page 48. 

Gum Drops: — Lemon, rose, wintergreen. Page 49. 

Pulled Cream Candies: — Yanilla, lemon, orange, rose, 
chocolate. Page 50. 

Caramels: — Chocolate, vanilla, lemon, maple, maple cho- 
colate, maple cocoanut, molasses chocolate. Page 52. 

Stick Candies: — Clear, pulled, striped, round, flat. Anise, 
cinnamon, clove, lemon, rose, peppermint, sassafras, 
vanilla, wintergreen. Fancy sticks. Page 53. 

Drops, Squares, Cough Candies, etc.: — Pulled, transparent 
and round drops. Transparent squares. Cough can- 
dies: flaxseed, horehound, Iceland moss, slippery-elm 
bark, liquorice, barley. Page 57. 

Pastes, Nougats, Marshmallows: — Lemon and winter- 
green jujube paste. Fig paste. White, vanilla, lemon, 
rose, and chocolate Nougats. Marshmallow paste: 
vanilla and lemon. Page 59. 

Crystallizing: — To prepare the crystallizing solution. To 
crystallize creams, bonbons, gum drops, flg paste, etc. 
Bed and amber crystals. Page 62. 

Miscellaneous: — Red or pink sand.. Yellow or cream-color 
sand. White icing, flavored with vanilla, lemon. 
Chocolate and Cocoanut Icing. Yellow, cream-color, 
red, and pink icing. White and red pop corn balls. 
Corn cake. Candied fruits and nuts: — oranges, 
cherries, grapes, apricots, dates, flgs, raisins, prunes, 
currants, etc. Fruits and nuts glace'. Page 63. 



PART I. 



TUE ADULTERATION OF CHEAP CANDIES. 

As tlic following article describes this subject in so clear 
and interesting a manner, the author of "Candy Making 
AT IIome" has taken the liberty of copying it from the 
June 1879 issue of that excellent monthly magazine, The 
Household^ edited and published by Mr. Geo. E. Crowell 
at Brattleboro, Vermont. 

"Adulterated Confectionery — In raising adulteration 
to the dignity of a science, says the Boston Commercial 
Bulletin, the manufacturers of confectionery have done 
their part. Properly, there are only three component 
parts in pure confectionery — the sugar, or body of the 
matter; the extract, or flavoring quahty of the same, and 
the coloring property. To such a degree of ingenuity have 
candy-makers arrived, that some kinds of their wares are 
put up fur the market wnth only a very slight proportion 
of the first, and with the coloring and flavoring of so cheap 
a quality, that their 'manufactured articles can be bought 
at the same price per pound as the plain sugar itself. 

It is not to be supposed that there is no pure confection 
ery. Those who purchase at our best and old-established 
places are morally sure of getting a genuine article. 
But children do not always go to these places. They 
strike for the nearest shop or store and ^vhere they can 
get the most for their pennies. The cheaper candies, of 
which hundreds of tons are sold every year, contain some 
of the most deadly poisons known, among them red lead, 
gamboge, vermillion, chromate of lead, Prussian blue, 
verditer or carbonate of copper, arsenite of copper, Bruns- 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 



wick green, the various oxides of iron, white lead, etc 
Terra alba, a kind of clay or white earth is very largely 
used, in some qualities it forming from 50 to 60 per cent. 
of the manufactured article. 

The argument that the substances named are used in 
quantities so small that poisoning cannot result from their 
use is founded upon ignorance. Some of the poisons 
named are known as cumulative, from the fact that they 
accumulate in the system, and that, no matter how small 
the quantity taken in at each time, each addition remains, 
the constantly-growing mass working slowly and silently, 
producing even more deadly effects than large doses acci- 
dentally taken, whose result may be neutralized or affected 
by antidotes. A distinguished physician lately made a 
deliberate statement at an annual meeting of the society 
of which he was a member, that there was no question but 
hundreds of children were slain every year by cheap con- 
fectionery, without the real cause of their death being 
known. 

As we have just stated, the article which is most used 
by dishonest confectioners is what is known to the trade as 
terra alba. It is principally brought from Ireland, and 
was brought into use fifteen or twenty years ago. Its 
first extensive use was during the war, when cream of tar- 
tar, bicarbonate of soda, pepper, ground rice and other ar- 
ticles of domestic use rose to double their ordinary price. 
Terra alba was then worth about ten or fifteen dollars per 
ton. The demand has brought it up to about double those- 
figures. This compound is nothing more nor less then 
actual dirt. In color it resembles dark flour or ground 
chalk, and is just as injurious as so much clay or dirt. It 
enters mostly into the QQ^position of ^^piixed" candies^ 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 



though this does not imply that all candies of this sort 
are adulterated with it, for some of the choicest candies in 
reliable confectioners' stores are called "mixed," and are 
the most expensive. 

Many readers who have bought the common fruit or 
nut-candy will remember that in letting the round pieces 
containing the fruit melt in their mouth the result was a 
thick, tasteless paste without taste or flavor. This was 
the "white earth," which was only frosted on the outside. 
The cheaper chocolate creams, of which children are so 
fond, are made of terra alba and glycerine mixed togeth- 
er, the glycerine keeping the earth soft and pasty, making 
it adhere so it will not fall apart, and then the balls are 
rolled in tallow, with sufficient grease to allow one pound 
of chocolate to go as far as five or six pounds would if 
properly made. 

The worst eftects of the use of terra alba are, that the 
terrible diseases of stone and gravel are caused by the in- 
troduction of earth into the system, and the large increase 
of patients suffering from these diseases is attributed by 
high medical authorities to the introduction of this terri- 
ble ingredient into the confectionery and similar arti- 
cles consumed in this country. 

Glucose, or "grape sugar," is the name of another dan- 
gerous article extensively used in the adulteration of can- 
dies. It is not, as its name would imply, made from grapes, 
but from potatoes, and its effect is to produce paralysis of 
various portions of the system, especially the kidneys, 
where the effect is not only to paralize them, but to turn 
them into a sugary substance; in other words^ to produce 
Bright's disease, a malady for which physicians have found 
as yet no remedy. 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 



The reason for the use of glucose is the same that is 
given for the use of every other adulteration — cheapness. 
Gum arable, for which it is used as a substitute, is worth 
iitty cents a pound, while glucose sells for five or six. 
Most of the cheap gum-drops are made from this compound. 

More disgusting than any of the articles named, though 
perhaps not so hurtful, are what confectioners term the 
scrapings. AVhen a sugar ship comes into port and is 
emptied of her cargo, a good deal of syrup has adhered to 
the sides of the vessel and run down into the bilo^e water. 
The first is scraped off and the second pumped out, 
mixed together, and boiled, and of this compound candy 
is made. 

The coloring of cheap candies, although it would hardly 
come under the head of adulteration, is yet a fraud, and 
oftentimes a dangerous one. Instead of the cochineal fly 
which the best confectioners use for the red in their wares, 
the unprincipled manufacturers use analine, a powerful 
and poisonous color. For yellows chromium is used, one 
of the elements of which is arsenic. We have already 
mentioned some of the other preparations of lead and cop- 
per used for this purpose. The yellow in the best candies 
is produced by the use of saffron. 

A few years ago the Massachusetts Board of Health en- 
tered into an investigation in relation to the confectionery 
sold in the state. Of the sixty-seven colored samples ex- 
amined, there were twenty-one specimens of yellow, twelve 
of orange, twenty-nine of red, five of brown, seven of green 
and four of blue. Of the twenty one yellows, seventeen 
consisted entirely of chrome yellow, or chromate of lead, 
two contained chromate of lead, although a vegetable yel- 
low also was present, and two were colored with organic 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 



yellow alone. Of the twelv^e specimens of orange, nine 
were colored with orange chromate of lead, two contained 
an organic red mixed with chrome yellow, and in one 
the coloring matter was entirely organic. Of the twenty- 
nine reds, twenty-live were organic, three samples of a 
brick-red color contained iron, and one was colored with 
Vermillion or sulphite of mercury. Of the four specimens 
of blue, two contained only organic coloring matter, and 
two were found to be colore^ with ultramarine, or silicate 
of soda and alumina with sulphite of sodium. Of the 
seven greens, one — a pale green — was found to be organic, 
six were colored with a mixture of Prussian-blue or terro- 
cyanide of iron with chrome yellow, and one contained, 
in addition, arsenic green, or arsenite of copper. 

Most candies flavored with pear, apple, banana and 
other fruits are unwholesome, these extracts in many in- 
stances being made from fusil-oil, taken from the refuse ot 
liquor-stills." 

It is qnly fair and just to state, that it was proved that 
many of the confectioners who were convicted of such 
adulterations, were unaware of the dangerous nature of 
some of the properties used by them. As a rule, confec- 
tioners are as honest and honorable a class of men, as you 
would wish to find, but the public demanded cheap candies, 
and they were obliged to satisfy that demand, or to lose 
largely, for the cost of manufacturing pure candies is 
^luch greater than it is for the cheap trash. There are 
hundreds of long-established candy manufacturers, who 
prde themselves upon the purity of their goods, and you 
may rely upon getting a genuine article, if you are willing 
to ]iay for their candy, what it is really worth. "The 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 



laborer is worthy of his hire," therefore, if you prefer to 
spend yoar money fpr cheap, adulterated goods, you can 
not expect to have the best and purest articles, nor should 
you blame the manufacturer for providing for you, the 
quality that you demand. It is so in all trades. 

The honest confectioners, are only too glad to expose 
the dangers of eating poor candies, fur then, their own 
reputation for making and selling pure goods only, soon 
brings them in a larger and steadily increasing trade. 

APPAEATUS FOR CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 

First in importance, is the Seat over which the sugar 
is to be converted by the process of boiling, into the diff- 
erent varieties of confectionery. This may be obtained 
from a coal lire, or from a gas or an oil stove. It should 
be free from smoke, and the heat must be even and pow- 
erful. Sugar should be boiled quickly, if it is desired to 
have it retain its brilliancy and transparency, especially 
in the case of clear candies. The heat should be a23plied 
only to the bottom of the kettle and the flames must not 
reach up the sides, as they will scorch, and discolor the 
candy. 

Second in importance, is a suitable Vessel^ in which 
to boil the candy. Confectioners use copper utensils, but 
great care is taken to keep them perfectly bright and clean 
as otherwise, they are poisonous. Iron- ware is apt to dis- 
color the sugar. Porcelain-lined or the "agate-ware" 
sauce-pans and kettles, are suitable for the purpose, bein^ 
light, easily cleaned and always handy. If 3^ou ha^'e 
nothing of this kind, however, an ordinary sauce-pan or 
kettle of tinned iron may be used. Covers should be 



CAISDT MAKING AT HOME 



provided for them, and tliej should be free from any taint 
of cooking. In boiling sugar, allowance should be made 
for the expansion of the heated syrup. All boiling syrup 
should be carefully watched, and quickly lifted from the 
heat, if an overflow is threatened, and then replaced, when 
it subsides. On the other hand, do not use too large a ket- 
tle for a small quantity. A quart sized sauce-pan will 
usually hold a half, and sometimes a pound of sugar, w^itli 
its proportionate quantity of water, whereas if molasses 
were boiling,it would be necessary to use a vessel capable ot 
containing about three or four times the quantity of the 
same. 

In selecting new porcelain-lined or ^'agate" ware, exam- 
ine them with great care, rejecting any that have cracks, 
chipped places, or any imperfections on either the inside 
or the outside of the article. This is very important, for 
any such imperfection will soon render the article useless. 

A most useful article, is a Cofifectioner^s Slab 9 on 
a small scale. If you can find an old slab of polished 
marble, you will have one "ready made." The next best 
way, is to get a sheot of Eussia ii'on, say about two feet 
square. Fasten this smoothly over a board, l)y turning it 
down at the edges. Have holes punched so that you can 
tack it to the board. You will now have a smooth slab, 
upon which the various manipulations may be performed 
with great convenience. Also buy four smooth iron bars, 
each about a foot or sixteen inches long, about an inch 
wide, and half an inch thick. The object of these bars is 
this : they do away with the awkwardness and risk of us- 
ing plates, platters, or even tin pans, in which to ccol the 
candy after boiling. When the confectioner wishes to cool 
his candy, he simply rubs over a portion (or the whole) of 



CAOT)Y MAKING AT HOME. 



the surface of tliis slab with a buttered rag, arranges the 



bars to form a hollow square inclosing the greased place, 
then pours the boiled syrup into this hollow. The insides 
of these l^ars, where they come in contact with the 
candy, are also slightly greased. When the candy is almost 
(in some cases entirely) cold, the iron Savs may be re- 
moved and it is then cut into squares, blocks, etc., without 
the annoyance and risk of removing it from a pan, during 
which process, the tine appearance of the candy is fre- 
quently injured. You will find a Slab and Bar*s oii\iQ 
greatest convenience, and it is better to go to the trifling 
expense of their cost, than to run the risk of breaking some 
choice china platter, in which you are trying to cool the 
candy. It w^ill be useful for many other operations also, 
and it makes an excellent lozenge-board. 

You will also require a Hitler about six inches long, 
made from either iron or steel, or from hard wood. It 
should have one side smoothed to a dull cutting edge, and 
it is to be used to press the divisions, or mark the lines for 
the squares for caramels, cough candies, etc. While using, 
the cuttiijg edge may be kept slightly greased to prevent 
its adhering to the candy. 

A smooth Moulding Board (the same as for bread- 
making) and a JRolling I^ln will be required foV lozen- 
ge making. 

For pulling candy, a TTook is useful, if the quantity 
is large and correspondingly heavy, but for a small quan- 
tity, it is not necessary. A large sized meat-hook, such 
as butchers use, will answer the purpose, but the sharp 
point should be filed oft^ to prevent any possible accident. 
Or, a strong peg about eight inclies long, made of hard 
wood, may be driven into a hole bored in some convenient 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 9 

place. Tack a piece of clean cloth behind the hook, to 
prevent the candy soiling the wall or wood-work. 

A Wooden Spoon or Spatula (\vhich is a strong 
knife cut from hard wood,) should be used in candy mak- 
ing, in preference to any made of metal. 

Other useful articles are a pair of strong Shears , a 
sharp Knife ; a number of sheets of Tin on which to 
place the softer varieties of candy to harden, and two 
Sieves or Sifters, one having fine, and the other larger 
meshes 

Mould in ff Trays for casting bonbons, gum-drops, 
etc., are simply, shallow wooden trays or boxes, filled with 
either the finest powdered corn-starch, or sugar-dust 
They may be made any convenient size. 

Moulding Patterns. Fill the boxes, and having 
smoothed the surface with a ruler, proceed to make inden- 
tations in the surface of the powder, with any convenient 
pattern. The top of a caster-bottle, the end of a wooden 
handle ; an old checkerman, or a button mould, which you 
have fastened to a stick for a handle, or any such article 
may be used for this purpose. Make the impressions as 
smooth as possible, going over them twice if necessary. 
These indentations may be made one by one, or a number 
of wooden or plaster patterns of exactly the size and shape 
desired, are glued to the under side of a flat board, and 
the entire number are thus impressed with one stroke of 
the board upon the surface of the powder. 

COLOES. 

These co^rs are harmless. As they are very strong, a 
few drops will co'o; a pound of sugar. JV^ever use analine 
colors for candy ^ for they are very poisonous. 



10 CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 



JSeeZ. — Do not use any metal while preparing this color. 
Put two drachms of pure carmine No. 40, into a cup. 
Add a few drops of strong ammonia, and one gill of water. 
Stir until it becomes a liquid, adding more water if neces- 
sary. Put into a tightly corked bottle. 

Yelloiv* — To half an ounce of saffron, add four ounces 
of alcohol. Cork it well (to prevent the evaporation of 
the alcohol), and allow it to stand for a week or more, 
shaking occasionally. Then filter. 

Pinh, — This color is produced by pulling candy tinted 
with the red color; the depth and intensity of color, vary- 
ing from a delicate rose-pink to a dull dark red, according 
to the quantity of the red color used, and the time em- 
ployed in pulling. Clear unpulled candies, can not be 
made this color, but are always a bright, clear, red. 

Cream-color, — Produced by pulling candy tinted 
with tincture of saffron. Candies made from yellow or 
brown sugars, have more of a yellowish tinge, than those 
made from white sugar. Clear, unpulled candies, are 
always amber color. 

FLAVOES, EXTRACTS AND INGREDIENTS. 

Essential Oils are obtained from woods, roots, barks, 
leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, etc., by the process of distill- 
ation. Extracts are produced by combining these oils 
with pure alcohol, in certain proportions ; while Essen- 
ces are a weaker form of extract, containing a much 
greater proportion of alcohol, which makes them so dilute^ 
that they should never be used for the purpose of flavoring^ 
candy. 

As many of the so-called, strong, ready-made extracts 
gold in the stores, are nothing but thQ weakest essences, 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 11 

it is sometimes difficult to obtain a strictly pure article, 
especially if tlie purchaser regards a low price and a large 
quantity, more than he does qiuility. It is true that there 
are many reliable brands of flavors, prepared by honest 
dealers, but the majority of extracts that flood the market 
are worthless. You cannot judge of the strength of an 
extract, by the intensity of its coloring. Thus, vanilla does 
not possess any greater strength because its color is rich 
and dark, for that appearance is readily given to even the 
weakest preparation, by the addition of a few drops of red 
color. AYeak lemon extracts, are easily colored a bright 
golden-yellow, with a little tincture of safiron. 

If possible, make your own extracts. This is 
easily and cheaply done, by buying a few cents worth of 
an}^ of these oils (being particular regarding their purity 
and freshness), and diluting them with about five or six 
times their quantity of alcohol. As these oils are very 
concentrated, some care should be taken to keep them out 
of the reach of young children, because like many other 
articles tliat are harmless when diluted, they may produce 
distressing,if not dangerous symptoms,if swallowed through 
carelessness or ignorance, while in this concentrated state. 
No fear need be entertained, however, when they are 
used in candy, because it requires but a very small quan- 
tity to produce the desired flavoring, and this is difl'used 
through a large proportion of sugar. 

All extracts should be kept in closely corked bottles to 
prevent the evaporation of the alcohol. The easiest way 
to clear them, is to strain them through cloth, but if it is 
wished to have them very clear and transparent, they 
should be filtered. Take a small wad of cotton batting 
or wadding, wet it thoroughly with water, and thrust it 



13 CAISTDY MAKING AT HOME 

into tlie inside of a tin or glass funnel, so as to completely 
close the hole. Then place the funnel, in a pitcher, or in 
some position where it will be supported, and carefully pour 
the extract into the funnel allowing it to take its time in 
running through. Return to the funnel again and again, 
until the liquid becomes perfectly clear. See that the 
end of the funnel-tube does not touch the bottom of the 
pitcher or vessel in which it is placed, for if it does, the 
liquid can not run through. Use fresh cotton for each 
different extract, throwing away the old bit. 

The flavors most universally used are these : anise, cap- 
sicum, cinnamon, cloves, coffee, ginger, lemon, liquorice, 
orange (or oil of neroli,) peppermint, rose, spearmint, sas- 
safras, vanilla and wintergreen. 

Anise, This is distilled from the seed of the anise 
plant. It is commonly adulterated with the oil from the 
seed of the Star-anise, an evergreen growing in China 
and Japan. Use the oil, or make the extract, by adding 
four drachms of the pure oil to four ounces of alcohol. 

Capsicum, This is the dried and powdered fruit or 
seed, of the capsicum plant. It is the common practice 
to adulterate it. To make the extract, put one ounce of 
pure cayenne pepper into a bottle, with four ounces of 
alcohol. Let it stand for ten days or so, shaking occasion- 
ally, then filter. 

Cinnamon, This is the inner bark of the shoots of 
the cinnamon tree, a native of Ceylon. It is exported in 
three forms : in little rolls of dried bark, just as it appears 
after being separated from the tree ; in powder, made by 
grinding the bits of bark that are inferior in quality, and 
it is also distilled into oil. The powdered cinnamon 
affords ample room for the grossest adulterations, and is 



CAIS^DY MAKIKG AT HOME. 13 

eeklom found in its pure state. The oil of Cassia, is used 
by many persons in place of the true oil of cinnamon, as 
it closely resembles the same, although it lacks its delicacy. 
Use the oil, or make the extract from four drachms ot oil 
to four ounces of alcohol. 

Cloves, This oil is distilled from the buds of the Clov^e 
tree, a native of the East. The whole cloves of commerce, 
are these buds, gathered while still unopened, and then 
dried by solar, or artitical heat. The clove tree while in 
full blossom, is said to be a beautiful sight. They live to 
a great age, sometimes over one or two centuries. The 
trees blossom at regular intervals during the entire year. 
The buds are at first green, changing to white, and finally 
become ros}^ red. They are gathered by hand picking, or 
they are beaten from the trees, just before they open into 
full blossom. Use the oil, or make the extract, by addino- 
eight drachms of the oil to four ounces of alcohol. 

Coffee, An extract is made by soaking for about ten 
days, one ounce of roasted ground cofiee, in one gill of 
alcohol. Then filter. 

Ginger, The dark or black ginger, is brought from 
the East, while the white or Jamaica ginger comes from 
the island of Jamaica, in the West Indies. The white 
ginger is considered far superior to the black. The only 
part of the plant that is used, is the root, which is sold 
entire, or powdered. Like all other powders, this is fre- 
quently adulterated. To make the best extract, soak for 
a week or more, one ounce of the powdered white ginger, 
in four ounces of alcohol. Then filter. This is an excel 
lent extract of Jamaica ginger, and will be found useful 
for many purposes besides candy making. 

Lemon. The best lemons are brought from Italy. 



14 CANDY MAKIKG AT HOME. 

The extract may be made, by mixing eiglit dracbms of the 
fresh and pure oil of lemon, with four ounces of alcohol. 
Or, when lemons are plenty and cheap, buy a dozen 
fine large specimens, and treat as follows. With a sharp 
pen-knife, carefully shave the outer yellow rind from the 
lemons. Do not go below the yellow outer-covering, for 
the oil-cells lie within this thin layer, and if any of the 
bitter white rind lying just below the surface is used, it 
injures the flavor. Put this shaved peel into a bottle, cover 
with alcohol, and allow it to stand a week or more, shak- 
ing occasionally. Then filter. 

JLiquorice, This is the root of the tree Glycyrrliiza 
glabra. The best and sweetest variety, comes from Italy. 
The extract of liquorice (or liquorice mass), is prepared, 
by evaporating a decoction of the root until it becomes 
a thick paste. It is then formed into the long, black rolls, 
commonly sold in shops. A good liquid extract is made 
by soaking one ounce of the pure and fresh powdered 
liquorice, in four ounces of alcohol. 

Orange, The oil of neroli, which is distilled from 
the blossoms of the orange tree, is commonly used for this 
flavor. Or make the extract from the genuine oil of 
orange, the same as for lemon. The flavor may also be 
obtained, by the same process described for lemons, exer- 
cising the same care regarding the bitter, white rind, that 
lies just below the outer yellow coating. 

JPejypemiint. This oil is distilled from the pepper- 
mint plant. Use the oil undiluted, or mix eight drachms 
with four ounces of alcohol. This plant is a native of 
Great Britain, but is extensively cultivated in the U. S., 
for its aromatic, and medicinal properties. 

Hose* This oil, which is called c>/^c>, attar oxidi essence 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME 15 

of roses, is ohtSLined by distilling the petals of freshly- 
gathered roses. It requires five hundred pounds of these 
petals, to produce one ounce of the oil. The best quality 
comes from Kizanlik, and is expensive, costing at whole- 
sale, from nine to ten dollars an ounce, it is now exten- 
sively adulterated with the oil distilled from a certain 
variety of the sweet-scented Pelargonium, known as the 
rose-geranium. The cost of the latter is muc'h less, varj^- 
ing from one to two dollars an ounce. This flavor should 
be used sparingly, not only on account of its costliness, 
but because a delicacy is more grateful, than an intensity. 
The extract is made, by mixing one drachm of the pure 
oil, with two ounces of alcohol. 

Sassafras. This flavor is distilled from the bark of 
the roots, of the sassafras tree. Use the undiluted oil, or 
make the extract, by mixing eight drachms of the oil, 
with four ounces of alcohol. 

Spearmint. Distilled from the spearmint herb. 
Make tincture, with eight drachms of the oil, and four 
ounces of alcohol. This is used for mint drijps. 

Vanilla. This extract is made from the vanilla pod 
or bean, which is the seed-vessel of the plant. It is slen- 
der in form, seven or eight inches in length, and is tilled 
with an oilv mass, containino' countless, small and shinin<r 
black seeds. The best quality is brought from Mexico. 
The pods are collected before they have fully ripened, dried 
in the shade, covered with a coating of some fixed oil, and 
then tied in packages. The tonha-Jjean is commonly used 
for the adulteration of vanilla extract, as it closely resem- 
bles it, both in odor and appearance. To make the gen- 
uine extract, (and care should be taken never to use any 
other,) take one and a half ounces of the best quality ot 



16 CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 

vanilla beans, and cut tliem into fragments, with scissors or 
a sharp knife. Put into a m .rtar, with a little sugar (to 
facilitate the powdering,) and grind it to a coarse powder. 
Then add four ounces of water, and four ounces of alcohol. 
Cork it closely in a bottle, and allow it to stand a week 
or two, shaking occasionally. Then filter. 

Winterf/reen' This oil is distilled from the winter- 
green plant. Use the oil undiluted, or add eight drachms 
to four ounces of alcohol. This is also called ^'clieckerberry'^ 
flavor. 

Omitted Artificial Flavors. These are apricot, 
apple, banana, cherry, currant, gooseberry, grape, melon, 
plum, pineapple, peach, pear, raspberry, strawberry, etc. 
These are simply ethers, manufactured by certain processes 
that give them apparently the same flavoring properties 
that the natural fruits possess. That is, they produce an 
artificial flavor that closely resembles tlie fresh fruits. They 
are not really dangerous, when used in this diluted state, 
being dlfl'used through a large quantity of sugar, but it is 
not prudent to eat too freely of candles containing them. 
For example, here are the recipes for manufacturing the 
artificial peach and banana flavors, winch you can see, 
do not contain even a suspicion of the natural fruits. 

Peach, This is a mixture of 5 parts glycerine, 2 
parts aldehyde, 6 parts acetate of ethyl, 5 parts for ml ate of 
eth3d, 5 parts butyrate of ethyl, 5 parts valerianate of ethyl, 
5 parts oenanthylate of ethyl, 1 part sebacic ether, and 2 
parts salicylate of methyl. 

Banana, This is made from strong sulphuric acid, 
acetate of potash, and fusil oil, mixed in the proper pro- 
portions with butyric acid. This butyric acid from which 
butyric ether is made is obtained by combining a solution 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 17 

of crrape sugar with decomposed cheese and chalk, after 
which the delicious compound undergoes other chemical 
manipulations, and is finally turned out, as the essence of 
hanana. Many of these flavors are used in soda-waters. 

It is understood, of course, that this refers only, to the 
so-called artificial preparations. The genuine bottled 
or preserved fruit juices are perfectly good, and 
may be used freely. 

There is another flavor in common use, to the danger- 
ous nature of which, attention should be directed. This 
is the Twitter- Almond extract. The deadly prussic 
acid is extracted from the same nut, and this is often pre- 
sent in the prepared flavor. By careful chemical treat- 
ment, much of this acid is extracted, but it is far better to 
avoid this flavor, for it can not but be dangerous in the 
hands of careless or inexperienced persons. 

Chocolate, This is obtained from the fruit of the 
tree Theohroma cacao (corrupted to cocoa.) The fruit is 
a pod six or eight inches long, containing numerous seeds 
or nuts, each about the size of a sweet-ahnond, but thicker. 
These nuts consist of a thin, paper-like, exterior shell, and 
a brown, oily kernel. The thin shell is removed from 
the nuts, and sold under the name cocoa shells, or it is 
ground into a fine powder, when it is known as hroma. 
The kernels when pressed, separated into irregular angu- 
lar-shaped pieces ; these are called cocoa-nibs, and it is 
from these nibs that chocolate is made. They are ground 
between heated stones until they become a smooth, dark 
brown paste. Sweetened with half its weight of fine sugar, 
it is called sweet chocolate, while that known as plain 
chocolate, contains no sugar. For covering creams, 
it is well to buy the sweetened. It is also sometimes 
4 



18 CAIsTDY MAKING AT HOME. 

flavored with vanilla. During tlie process of manufacture, 
an oily substance is extracted from tlie nut, which is 
known as cocoa-h utter. This is much used by phar- 
macists and confectioners, l^ever buy a cheap chocolate, 
for it will surely be adulterated. The best costs from 
sixty to seventy cents p pound. The finest quality is 
made from cocoa-pods brought from Maracaibo, and the 
next best, from Caraccas. While the chocolate is in a 
soft condition (after it has been ground to a paste,) it is run 
into moulds that form half-pound cakes, each ounce being 
marked on the surface of the cake, by lines crossing it at 
the proper place. Therefore, when the recipe calls for 
one or two squares or ounces, it is an easy matter to cut 
off one or more, of these sections. A prepared liquid, 
called Chocolate Liquor, is much used by confec- 
tioners for coating purposes, it being properly sweetened 
and flavored all ready for use. 

Cocoanut. This is the fruit of the Cocos nucifera^ 
a palm growing in the tropical regions. It grows to the 
height of from fifty to eighty feet, with a straight branch- 
less trunk, crowned with a cluster of immense fronds or 
plume-like leaves, each leaf being from ten to fifteen feet 
long. The trees blossom about once in six weeks, each 
tree, bearing sometimes a hundred nuts during the year. 
The best nuts are brought from San Bias. For flavoring, 
the meat of the nuts should be very finely grated, or the 
dessicated cocoanut may be snbstituted,al though it is some- 
times too stiff and hard for fine work. For creams, the 
cocoanut should be as soft and tine as possible. 



CAISTDY MAKING AT HOME. 19 



SUGAR. 

Sugar is extracted from the sugar-cane plant, in the 
form of a thick, sweet liquid. The ripened canes are 
passed through a series of strong rolls, by which process, 
the liquid or juice, is pressed out, and falls into the proper 
receptacles. This liquid is clarified, and boiled down, 
until it becomes a dark, brown, sugary mass, saturated 
with a sweet substance called molasses. It is passed 
through different processes, all tending to purify and 
whiten it until it emerges from the refinery, in the form 
of pure crystalline masses called sugar. The higher the 
process of refining is carried, the whiter and purer it 
becomes, and this is what constitutes the difierence be- 
tween tv7ii(e, yellow and brown sugars, the last two 
differing in sweetness and appearance, because they have 
nut undergone so extended a purification as the former. 
The yellow and brown sugars are also sweeter than the 
white, because they contain more molasses than the latter. 
The purest and best cane-sugar, is commonly known as 
loaf sugar. Then come the crushed and granula- 
ted, which are chemically as pure as the loaf sugar, 
difiering only in the style of finish ; the former, being 
crushed, while the latter, is sold in the form of grains, as 
its name implies. The ordinary pulverized sugar, 
is a powdered form of the same trades of su2:ar; and the 
so-called lozenge or icing sugar, is a still more 
finely pulverized form, it being really sugar dust, and is 
prepared especially for the use of confectioners. The best 
of the lower grades, are Coffee AfJ^, C, D, etc; the 
first being very light yellow in color, and that known as 
^^ Coffee -B/^ being a trifle darker, and so on, until the 



20 CAKDY MAKING AT HOME 

poorer grades of dark brown sugar are reached. Do not 
buy tlie cheajDcr grades of brown sugar, for they are often 
infested with parasites. The sweet liquid that drains 
from the white sugar, during the last stages of refining, is 
called sugar-house syrup. Much of this syrup, 
how^ever, is adulterated with glucose. Sugar of all grades, 
is liable to gross adulterations, and care should be taken 
to buy it only from reliable dealers. Sugar made from 
grapes, is used as an adulterant of cane-sugar. For crys- 
tallizing, use only the purest, high-grade white sugars ; 
lor the ordinary varieties of candy use ''Confectioners' A" 
(or any good quality of white sugar) ; while for taffies, 
cough-candies, etc., the kind known as ''CoiFee C" will 
answer. 

DEGREES OF BOILmG SUGAR. 

In writing this book, the author has discarded the usual 
custom of directing amateurs to "boil until it cracks," or 
"to boil twenty minutes," or "to boil four minutes," etc., 
and various other mysterious and very unsatisfactory di- 
rections ; and has taken it for granted, that if any one has 
already sufficient interest to wish to learn to make candy, 
he, or she, will surely be willing and anxious to learn the 
method, by which all professionals ascertain the progress of 
the boiling of the sugar. It is not difficult to learn, and 
once mastered, you may be fai* more sure of success in 
making any of the varieties you may choose to try 
your skill upon. It is true that it requires close attention, 
but it is thought that no difficulty need be experienced, 
if, after carefully reading this article again and again, 
until you thoroughly understand it, you put what you 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 21 

have read, to tlie practical test, remembering always, that 
"Practice makes perfect." 

The solution of sugar and water is, by the constant and 
steady heat, rapidly undergoing changes; and the water 
being gradually lost by the evaporation during the pro- 
cess of boiling, the solution becomes thicker, and more 
concentrated. Now, some varieties of confectionery, are 
made when the boiling has been carried to one stage or 
degree, while other varieties cannot be made, until the 
solution has reached a higher degree, that is, when it has 
boiled for a longer period of time, and has become still more 
concentrated. These diiferent degrees are ascertained (or 
tested), by dropping a little of the boiling sugar, into cold 
water. 

There are about ten of these degrees, but those most 
frequently used, are termed as follows : the thread, the 
feather^ the soft hall, the hard ball, the soft 
crach, and the hard crack. After these, comes the 
degree called the caromel (do not confound this term 
with the candy known as the caramel, for it is entirely 
different ), which is reached, when the water has entirely 
boiled away, and the sugar that remains, is upon the point 
of burning. 

When the sugar and water solution is first placed over 
the fire, the sugar settles at the bottom of the kettle, in a 
thick mass. As soon as the heat begins to strike through, 
you^will see the sugar slowly dissolving, while the water iDe- 
gins to look milky or turbid. After a few moments, you hear 
alow murmuring, and little bubbles begin to arise around 
the sides of the vessel. These slowly increase, until the boil- 
ing approaches the center. All at once the cloudy, thick, 
appearance is gone, and you have before you a clear. 



^2 CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 

thin watery solution that is hoiling rapidly. It has then 
reached the f%dl hoiling point. Continue the boiling, 
and after about fifteen minutes (depending upon the quanti- 
ty) have passed, dip a spoon into the liquid, raise it, and 
hold it still for an instant, to allow it time to cool slightly. 
Then very slowly and carefully, turn the spoon sideways, 
and allow the liquid to run out. If it draws out into a thread, 
it has reached what is called ^Hhread^^ degree. Or, 
after cooling it slightly, dip the thumb and fore-finger 
into the spoon, and if, upon separating them, a thread is 
formed, the result is the same You will also notice that 
the liquid is thicker than it was at first* 

Continue the boiling, and presently dip a skimmer into 
the vessel, and, if the sugar solution has gained sufiicient 
thickness or density, you Avill find the holes in the skimmer, 
covered with a delicate film of the boiling liquid. Now, 
blow through these holes, and if the sugar flies ofl[ in feath- 
er like spray the '^featlier^^ degree is reached. Continue 
a while longer, and drop a little into cold water. With 
the thumb and fingers, try to gather this into a little 
ball. If you can do so, and can get something that resem- 
bles a very soft ball, it has reached the "soft halV^ 
degree. Previously to this stage, it is useless to try the 
testing in water, for the solution, not having gained 
sufiacient consistency, will only dissolve, leaving no trace 
when dropped into it. Presently test it again in cold 
water, and you will probably find that it will now 
roll into quite a firm and hard ball. As the term im- 
plies, this is the "hard halV^ degree. Soon repeat the 
testing, at a shorter interval (for the solution is rapidly 

♦NOTICE. The learner will notice that the thread will also be found during all 
the after stages, it becoming much stronger as the boiling advances. This rule 
applies only to its first appearance. 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME 23 

thickening and settling in the kettle), and you will find 
it has reached the ''soft crach^^ because it slowly stiff- 
ens, and does not snap or crack when pressed between 
the fingers, until it has cooled for an instant in the water. 
Candies boiled to this stage are termed "soft-boiled". 
Yon have now reached the critical point, for a little neg- 
lect will end in burning the candy. Test it again, and 
almost before yon know it, tbe ''hard crach^^ is reached. 
You will find the portion that you dip up with a spoon, 
will stiffen, with a sharp snap, immediately upon being 
dropped into the water {whiGh should he very cold for 
this test), and becomes stiff and hard, breaking with a 
brittle crack, when pressed between the fingers. For all 
stick and clear candies, the nearer you can approach this 
stage, the better, because the candy will retain its clear- 
ness for a greater length of time, and is not so quickly 
affected by the action of the atmosphere. 

You will also notice, that, as the boiling approaches 
this "hard crack" stage, the movement is slight, and it ap- 
pears to boil with difficulty, making but little sound in 
doing so. This is where the danger lies, for it is now so thick 
and concentrated, and it is so difficult for it to boil, that 
the dense liquid is liable to scorch on the bottom of tlie 
kettle. "Watch it carefully, and do not allow it to remain 
on the fire too long, or it will suddenly turn yellow, and 
emit a burned odor. This is the last degree before burn- 
ing, and is called the "caromeV^ degree. After that, 
the water being entirely boiled away, and nothing but 
the sugar remaining, it speedily turns black, and is ruined 
for candy purposes. 

If the sugar is steadily and quickly boiled and no acci- 
dent occurs, it will be a clear and transparent syrup when 



^4 CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 

poured out to cool, but if it has boiled slowly, or the 
quantity is large (which will require more time, of course), 
or if it is unintentionally carried to a little over the hard 
crack, the syrup will be a clear, golden yellow, and no 
possible amount of pulling, wdll make it white enough for 
stick candies, for instance. The syrup passes quickly 
from one stage to the next, after the thread degree is 
reached, and it should have constant attention. The 
smaller the quantity you make, the shorter the time re- 
quired for boiling, and the more rapid the changes. Many 
confectioners say that it is more difficult to cook a small 
quantity than a large, for these very reasons. On the 
other hand, if it burns, the loss is not as great, as it would 
be, if you were undertaking for instance, a six pound boil, 
and should lose it all. The author frequently makes as 
small a quantity as a half pound boil, when experiments 
are being made w^ith different sugars. 

GRAmmO OF THE SUGAR. 

Sugar, while undergoing the process of boiling, is con- 
stantly inclined to return to its original condition or 
state, as sugar. Now, this causes serious trouble, and 
unless it could be overcome, or, perhaps it would be better 
to say, controlled, it would be impossible to make many 
of the dilierent kinds of candy. The addition of a small 
quantity of acid of the proper' kind, assists greatly 
in this respect. Vinegar, or a drop or two of acetic acid, 
and also cream ot tartar are used for this purpose. If too 
large a quantity should be used, however, the candy will 
remain soft and sticky, and will never harden. There 
are several promoters of this "graining" (as it is termed) 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 25 



and perhaps one of the principal, is too slow and conse- 
quently too long boiling; another is, allowing the sugar 
spray to settle upon the sides of the kettle, above the boil- 
ing syrup, whence it finds its way into the solution below, 
and quickly grains the whole. This can be prevented in 
a measure, by frequently washing the sides of the kettle 
with a wet rag or s])onge, but this is a dangerous operation, 
for unless you exercise great care, you will be likely to re- 
ceive serious burns. 

This operation of washing off the sugar spray, is not 
always eftectual, and the author has found that the best 
plan is to cover the kettle with a lid, keeping it on from 
the beginning to the end, removing only to skim or to 
test the progress of the boiling. Care must be taken to 
avoid scalding the liands with tlie steam. This cover may 
not be placed over the entire surface at first, if there seem^s 
tobeany tendency of the candy to overflow, but may 
remain in that half-covered position, until the danger is 
over, when it may be placed over the entire surface.'' Do 
not use a very close fitting cover, however, the object 
being only to confine the steam, which melts the sugar 
§pray, thus preventing the tendency to settle upon "the 
sides of the kettle. 

This annoyance of graining will probably happen to you 
occasionally, but you need not consider it as so much sugar 
lost, for by re-melting it over a slow fire, with the ad'di- 
tion of a little water, you will have a most delicious syrup 
for your buck-wheat cakes; one far superior to many 
that you might buy, which in all probability, would be 
adulterated with glucose. 

If your grained sugar contains no acid (such as cream of 
tartar, etc.), it may be re-weighed, and by adding one gill 
5 



26 CAKDY MAKING AT HOME. 

of water to each half pound of sugar, it may be boiled over 
again; but, if any acid has been used, the sugar should be 
brought to an alkaline condition again, before re-boiling. 
As the quantity that you will boil, will probably be small, 
and the loss slight, it is not considered essential to explain 
the method by which confectioners restore the sugar to 
the proper condition, especially, as you will probably en 
joy the making it into syrup, much more than attempting 
to boil it over. 

PULLING CANDY. 

It may seem unnecessary to give special instructions 
how to properly pull candy, but when you once realize 
the difference between candy that has been properly pull- 
ed, and that which has not, you will understand why 
some information upon the subject may be useful. In the 
first place, the object of pulling candy, is to make it light; 
and in order to produce this condition, it must be porous. 
Pulling it out, draws the air in, and the result is, that 
the mass becomes a collection of long cells, that are filled 
with air. Now, by careless handling and pulling, these 
long cells are crushed and flattened, and the result is, that 
the finished candy is hard and heavy, and not delicate 
and crispy, as it would be, if properly treated. 

When you begin to pull it, do not grasp it roughly, but 
handle it only with the tips of the fingers, and not with 
the whole hand. Draw it out, carefully fold it over, out 
again, and so on, until it becomes light, and has a tendency 
to separate into ropes or strings. A slight twist will pre- 
vent this, and as soon as it becomes slightly stifi", hold it near 
a fire for an instant, until it isfle:^ible again. Now lay it 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 2T 

down on a clean, dry, board, and with the hands draw it 
out into the rough wide bars, the shape in which pulled 
candies are generally finished. To do this, requires some 
practice, but once understood, it is easily done. Draw it 
out quite long, (not with the tips of the fingers this time 
but with the entire open palm) then take one end, and 
fold it back beside the other (that is parallel with it,) so 
that the two lie side by side, with the edges lapping. It 
will now be a narrow bar. Again draw it out, without 
lifting from the board, fold back along side of the other, 
repeating this operation, until it is the desired width, then 
cut into five or six inch lengths with shears, or with a blow 
from a knife, and lay on tin to stiffen. This applies princi- 
pally to molasses candies, and pulled cream candies. When 
making sticks or drops, such care is useless, for the neces- 
sary rolling or cutting (as for drops,) removes all tendency 
to a crispy finish, and it would not be desirable. "When 
using a hook, for pulling large quantities, this extra care 
would be difficult. It is intended only for the use of 
amateurs who have the time to spend, and who wish to 
make the candy as dainty and delicate as possible. 

If it adheres to the hands, rub them with a little sweet 
butter, but never use starch or flour, as it will impart an 
unpleasant taste to the candy. Soft boiled candies are 
more troublesome to handle than those boiled to the hard 
crack. 

MEASURES AKD WEIGHTS. 

For the convenience of those who may not be supplied 
with a measuring glass for liquids, the following table is 



28 CANDY MAKING AT HOME 

given, it being understood that it applies only to liquids: 

1 scanty teaspoonful, is equal to 1 fluid drachm, 

4 scanty teaspoonsful (or 1 tablespoonful), equal ^ fluid 
ounce, 

2 tablespoonsful, equal 1 fluid ounce, 
4 fluid ounces, equal 1 gill. 

8 ounces (a tuuibler full) equal 2 gills or ^ pint. 

4 gills equal 1 pint, 

8 gills (or two pints), equal 1 quart, 

4 quarts, equal one gallon. 

The following may also be of some assistance : 

Soft butter, size of an egg, weighs 2 ounces, 

3 tablespoons finely grated chocolate, weigh 1 oz. 

2 level tablespoons of gran, gum arable, weigh 1 oz. 
1 pint granulated sugar, weighs about 1 pound 4 oz. 
1 piiit powdered sugar, weighs about 1 pound 3 oz. 

It is impossible to give the exact measurement of sugars, 
because they differ greatly, some measuring much more 
than others, to the pound. So you will see that the adage, 
"A pint is a pound, the world around," applies only to 
liquid measure. 

OBSERVATIONS AND EULES. 

When pouring the boiled sugar out to cool, never allow 
the drainings and scrapings from the kettle, to be added 
to the mass, for if that part be upon the point of graining, 
it will quickly affect the whole. This is particularly im- 
portant in the case of caramels, and also for all hard-boil- 
ed candies. 

The flavoring and color is usually added just before 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 29 

pouring out to cool, in the case of clear candies, but for 
pulled varieties, it may be drawn in while pulling. Some- 
times the stirring necessary to thoroughly mix the liquids 
causes graining. Many persons do not object to the 
thick cloudy appearance that this condition causes, and 
for cough candies, it is sometimes preferable. 

All sugar solutions for candies should be boiled rapidly, 
but do not allow them to become scorched. 

Always dissolve the cream of tartar, and soda, in a little 
hot water, before addins^ it to the boilins^ solution. 

Always stir the sugar and water until the former is 
dissolved^ hut discontinue as soon as the hiibhles announc- 
ing the hoiling point ajppear. Never stir after that ^ un- 
less the rule explicitly states that you are to do so. This 
is important. 

When adding any ingredient, like cocoanut, or choc 
late, pour it in slowly, stirring at the same time, or 
lumps will be formed. 



PART 11. 



32 CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 



PULLED CANDIES. 

These are very simple and easy to make, and the ama- 
teur will do well to commence his or her attempts at 
"Candy Making at Home" with any one of them. The 
foundation is the same as for stick candies. Boil, without 
stirring, one and a half pounds of white sugar in three 
gills of water, over a brisk fire, adding a scanty half tea- 
spoonful of cream of tartar (dissolved in a little hot w^ater), 
after the solution has boiled about fifteen minutes. Keep 
a cover on the kettle, removing only to skim, or to test the 
progress of the boiling. Continue the boiling to the soft 
crack. (See page 23.) Pour out to cool, and wdien cool 
enough to be handled, quickly pull it with the hands un- 
til it becomes pure white. (See article on Pulling Candy, 
page 26.) Sift a little fine sugar on a clean, dry tin or 
platter, and lay tlie candy thereon. If boiled to the pro- 
per degree, this candy will be waxy, and slightly resemble 
a soft chewing-gum. Add the flavoring just before pour- 
ing out to cool, or draw it into it while pulling. Color in 
the same way. 

Vanilla is usually white ; Lemon is tinted j'ellow ; 
Rose is pink, while Chocolate is brown. This last is 
made by drawing into the candy while pulling, two ounces 
(or squares) of melted chocolate. Melt this chocolate by 
heating it (but do not allow it to boil) in a cup, over hot 
water. 

The so-called Ice Cream Candy is made in this 
same manner, with the addition of two ounces of the best 
butter cut into bits, and stirred into the candy, a few mo- 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME 88 



inents before removing from the fire. Like the majority 
of soft-boiled candies, these become soft and sticky upon 
the surface, after a wliile. 

PASTILLE DROPS. 

Pepxyertnint. Put a pound of either granulated or 
pulverized white sugar into a small sauce-pan, using one 
that has a lip to pour from, if possible. Drop in a little 
peppermint, and add only just enough water, to dam.j>en 
or make a thick paste with the sugar. If too much w^ater 
is added, the drops will not harden. Stir this, until it is 
thoroughly mixed, then taste, to see if the flavoring is 
right. Add more, if necessary, but do not flavor too 
strongly, remembering that delicacy is generally more 
agreeable than intensity. Put this sugar paste on the fire 
and let it cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly, 
but never allowing it to actually boil. As soon as it becomes 
liquid enough to pour easily, remove from the fire, and 
holding the sauce-pan in one hand, and a knitting needle 
in the other, allow the liquid sugar, to fall, in large or 
small drops, upon a smooth surface, cutting the stream of 
sugar at the right moment, w^ith a stroke with the knit- 
ting needle. It will require some practice to make the 
drops uniform m size and shape. It may be colored red 
or pink by using more or less of the red color, according 
to the shade desired. Rose Pastille Drops are fla- 
vored with rose, and tinted red. Ginger, are flavored 
with a teaspoonful of very strong extract of ginger. They 
may be colored yellow. Any flavor desired may be used 
in these drops, and during the fruit season, (or by using 
the prepared pure fruit juices) Fruit Pastille Drops 
6 



U CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 

may be made by using, in place of the water, the juice of 
Peaches f Oranges, Lemons, Strawberries, 
Maspberries, etc., etc. 

MOLASSES CANDY, TAFFIES, CHIPS, ETC. 

As molasses expands under the influence of heat, a 
kettle should be used, capable of containing three or 
four times the quantity that you are about to boil. Use 
only New Orleans molasses, because the kind known as 
the Porto Rico, has an unpleasantly strong and almost 
bitter flavor, that renders it unfit for candy making. As 
the boiling advances, the molasses becomes very thick 
and concentrated, boiling slowly and with difficulty; and as 
it approaches the end (which may be known by its set- 
tling in the kettle, and becoming darker in color), it may 
be best to remove it to a place upon the range or stove, 
where the heat will not be quite so in tense, although it 
must not cease boiling. It burns very easily, and this 
difficulty may be detected by the odor, or by spots of 
dark color appearing in the boiling molasses. 

If 3^ou wish the candy to be crisp and brittle, boil to the 
hard crack, but, for soft boiled molasses candy, do not 
carry it much over the soft crack. Keep the cover on 
the kettle, removing only to test the progress of the boih 
ing, unless the rule calls for stirring, in which case, the 
cover cannot be used at all. Also, never stir, unless 
directed to do so. 

Old-fashioned Molasses Candy. Boil one 
quart of New Orleans molasses over a clear fire to either the 
soft or hard crack. Dissolve a half teaspoonful of pure 
soda (carbonate, or bi-carbonate) in a little hot water, and 
stir it in as you pour it out to cool. Flavoring with either 
lemon or vanilla, improves it. Pull, when cool enough 



CANDY MAKING AT fiOME. 35 



to handle, until it begins to stiffen. This requires a much 
longer time to boil, than the varieties containing sugar. 
Modern Old-fashioned Molasses Candy. 

One pint best New Orleans molasses, and one pint white 
or yellow sugar. Boil briskly for a few moments, then 
stir in one and a half, or two ounces of the best butter 
cut into bits. Stir in a pinch of soda (dissolved), as you 
remove it from the fire, and when it foams up, quickly 
pour it out to cool. This becomes very light when pull- 
ed, and is a favorite variety. Flavoring with vanilla is 
an improvement. It requires about two teaspoonsful of 
the strong extract. 

Home-made 3Iolasses Candy. One pint New 
Orleans molasses, and one pint of either white or yellow 
sugar. Add the pinch of soda as in precedino;. Flavor 
if desired. 

White Molasses Candy. Five gills of white sugar, 
two gills pure syrup, and two gills New Orleans molasses. 
Treat same as preceding. 

Store Molasses Candy. One pint and a half (that 
is, six gills) of white sugar, two gills New Orleans molas- 
ses, and one gill of water. When it reaches the soft ball, 
stir in a quarter teaspoonful of cream of tartar (dissolved 
in a little hot water). Then treat same as for preceding. 
Plain Taffy. Pour a little of the Old-fashioned 
Molasses Candy (omitting the soda), into well buttered 
tins, in layers of about an eighth of an inch in thickness. 
When nearly cold, take the ruler, butter it slightly on its 
edge, and mark the candy off into squares or diamonds. 
Press nearly through to the tin. When cold, a gentle 
tap on the bottom or side of the tin, will loosen the candy, 
and it may then be broken apart. 



CAKDY MAKING AT HOME 



JEverton or Butter Taffy. This is also called 
Butter Scotch, Boil one pound best yellow sugar, 
and four ounces of the best butter. Melt it carefully over 
the fire, and boil it to the soft crack, stirring constant- 

ly. 

Maple Taffy. One pound of pure maple sugar, and 
two gills of water. At the soft ball, add a pinch of cream 
of tartar (dissolved), then boil to the soft crack. 

Cocoanut Taffy, One pound of white sugar, and 
two gills of water. After boiling a few moments, stir in 
two ounces of the best butter, cut into bits. Then boil to 
the soft crack, and when you are ready to pour it out to 
cool, quickly stir in two or three ounces of finely grated 
cocoanut. Cool in thin layers, and check it oif into 
squares, etc. 

Chocolate Taffy, Same as preceding, substituting 
two ounces (or two squares) of melted chocolate, in place 
of the cocoanut. 

Lemon Taffy, One pound of sugar, and two gills 
of water. Boil a few moments, then add two ounces 
best butter. Boil to soft crack, flavor with lemon, color 
yellow (if desired), and treat same as for preceding taflPies. 

English walnut^ Hazel nut, Peanut, Hick- 
ory nut, Brazil nut and Butternut Taffies, 
Make the candy according to any of the recipes for Taf- 
fies, and stir in, just before pouring out to cool, the chop- 
ped or whole shelled meats of any of these nuts. The 
Brazil nuts, and hazel nuts, after being dej)rived of their 
thick outer shell, should be thrown into scalding water, 
when, after standing for an instant, their rough, inner 
covering, will become softened, and may be rubbed from 
them with the fingers. The red, paper-like, inner cover* 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. St 

ing of the peanuts, should also be removed b}^ shakino; 
them in a coarse sieve, or by rubbing them between the 
hands. If the meats have been chopped, it is a good plan 
to sift out the powder that is caused by the chopping, 
stirring in only the clean bits of the nuts. 

Any of the Taffies may be flavored witli Pepper- 
^nint. Sassafras or Wintergreen, For Taffy 
Drops, see article on DROPS. 

Boston Chips 9 Flakey Flhider Candy, etc. 
These can hardly come under the heading of "Candy 
Making at Home", because in making them, a machine 
is necessary. After the candy has been pulled, and wdiile 
it is still flexible, it is rpiickly drawn into long strips, which 
are passed between two revolving iron or steel rollers, 
which process instantly flattens them into ribbons. They 
are crisp and delicious. Many confectioners draw them 
out into ribbons by hand, but it requires experience and 
long practice. Still, this last process may be tried by the 
amateur. 

NUT AND CREAM BARS. 

Feanut Bar, Prepare tlie nuts, by removing both 
the outer shell and the inner covering, and use either 
whole or half nuts, or they may be chopped, if preferred. 
If chopped, shake them in a coarse sieve to remove the 
dust caused by the operation of chopping. If you do not 
have a Slab and Bars (described on page 7,) proceed as fol- 
lows. Butter slightly, the bottom and sides of a broad, 
shallow tin pan, and pour the nuts into it. Spread the 
nuts around evenly, using more or less of them, as you 
prefer. Fill to the depth of about a quarter of an inch. 



g$ CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 

Now boil one pound of either wliite or yellow (''Coffee C") 
sugar with two gills of water to the hard crack, adding 
the pinch of cream of tartar (dissolved) at the soft ball. 
Carefully pour this boiled sugar over the nuts, and set 
aside to stiften. Before it is quite cold, cut into wide bars, 
with a strong, sharp knife. 

Bra.vU nut, Butternut, Almond, Mnglish 
walnut, Hiclzoru nut, Ha^el nut, and Pecan 
nut Bar may be made, by using the meats of any of 
these different nuts. To remove the thick, inner covering 
of the hazel nuts, pecans, almonds, and Brazil nuts, im- 
merse them (after their shells have been removed) in 
scalding water for a few moments, when the covering 
may be rubbed off with the fingers. 

Molasses or Taffy JShit Bar, For the founda- 
tion, use any of the recipes for 3Iolasses Candy or 
Taffies, adding the nuts. 

Maple Nut Bar, For the foundation, see Maple 
Taffy, adding the nuts. 

Cocoamit Cream Bar, Boil one and a half pounds 
of white sugar with three gills of water nearly to the soft 
ball. Flavor if desired, and it may also be tinted yellow or 
red, although the white is considered the best. Eemove 
from the fire, and allow it to cool for a few moments in the 
kettle. Then, with a spatula, begin to rub and scrape the 
sugar solution, against the sides of the kettle, until it be- 
comes milky. Then, rapidly stir in about six or eight 
ounces of coarsely-grated cocoanut. Stir it a little longer, 
but not too long, or it will suddenly harden before it can 
be poured out. Four it into wide shallow tins, in which 
a sheet of white paper has been fitted, (leaving the ends 
of the paper long enough to project an inch or two from 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 39 



each end). When it is cold, bj taking hold of the paper 
with both hands, the cake of cocoannt may be lifted from 
the pan, and cut into bars. If it adheres to the sides of 
the pan, where it is not protected by the paper, run a thin 
knife down the side of the pan, to loosen it. The paper 
may be removed from the cake, by moistening slightly, 
then tearing it off. 

LOZENGES. 

Lozenges do not require any boiling, being cut from a 
dough made from very finely-powdered sugar, mixed with 
a solution of eitlier gum tragacanth, or gum arabic. They 
can never be satisfactorily made from any but the finest 
pulverized sugar, the best results being obtained by using 
only that known as XXX lozenge sugar, which is realh'^ 
sugar dust. Still, if this cannot be obtained, use theordinarv 
pulverized sugar, sifting it free from all lumps. 

To prepare the gmn for the dough, put one quar- 
ter ounce of gum tragacanth to soak in one gill of cold 
water, for twenty-four hours, then strain by pressure 
through a strong cloth bag. Use one ounce or more of 
this strained liquid to every pound of sugar. Or, if a gum 
is desired for immediate use, dissolve one ounce of o-ranu- 
lated gum arabic in two ounces of warm water. Strain 
and use this proportion of liquid to every pound of sugar.' 

Proceed to make the doughy by mixing the gum 
solution and sugar, by working it with a strong spoon, or 
by pounding and pressing with a. clean potato-masher. 
As soon as it' becomes possible to handle it, work it by 
kneading thoroughly with the hands. Do this, until the 
dough becomes smooth and flexible. Also work in the 



40 CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 



flavor, and the color, if yon wish it to be tinted. Shonld 
the dough crumble, add a little more of the gum solution, 
but if it is too soft and sticky, sift in a little more sugar. 
The hardness of the finished lozenge depends upon the 
thickness of the gum solution. 

Now, sift a little sugar dust over the slab (described on 
page 7), or upon a smooth, clean, moulding-board. Lay 
the douo-h upon the sugar (which is used to keep it from 
adhering to the board), sift more sugar over the dough, 
and then with a rolling-pin, roll it down evenly to a sheet 
of about an eighthof an inch in thickness. Sift more sugar 
over the surface, rub or polish it smoothly with the pahn 
of the hand, and then, with another slight dusting of sugar, 
it is ready for the cutter. 

The cutter is a tin (or steel) tube, four inches long; 
the diameter at one end, being one inch and a quarter, 
then tapering to one inch at the otlier end. The edges 
where it is joined at tlie sides, should be neatly soldered, 
leaving no perceptible joint, and the smaller end of the tube 
is to be filed to a smooth, sharp, cutting edge. This cut- 
ter will make round lozenges, only. Hearts, stars, squares, 
diamonds, octagons, hexagons, and many other shapes, 
may be cut out. by using cutters of the corresponding 
shapes. The lozenges will be large or small, according to 
the size of the cutting end of the tube. 

Now, take this cutter in the right hand, and with firm, 
steady strokes, cut out the lozenges, one after another, con- 
tinuing until the cutter is full, when, by reversing it over 
a clean tin, or plate, the lozenges will fall out. Separate 
them, spreading them out to dry. Again till the cutter, 
empty out as before, and so on until the dough is all used. 
Keep the board free from stray bits of dough, and lumps 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME 41 

of sugar, or tlie lozenges will be rough when finished. 
Tliej should be put in a moderately warm place to dry. 

It is impossible to state the exact quantity of flavoring 
required in eacli case, because tastes are so different, and 
the flavors are generally of varying strength. The best 
plan is to drop in a little of the flavor, working it in thor- 
oughly, then taste of the dough, and add more if neces- 
sary. 

Anise, Clove, Peppermint, Vanilla, and Win- 
tergreen lozenges are usually white; Cinnamon, 
Cayenne and Rose are colored red, or rose-pink; Gin- 
ger, Lemon and Orange are pale yellow. Mar- 
bled lozenges ai'e made by adding a little coloring to the 
white dough, and working it slightly through it, when the 
dough will present a streaked or marbled appearance. 

Tri-color Lozenges, are made by combining two or 
more colors in one lozenge. Divide the dough into as 
many portions as you wish colors, flavoring and coloring 
these portions separately. Roll them out on separate 
boards, slightly moisten the surface of one sheet, by pass- 
ing a damp sponge over it, tlien lay another sheet 
of dough upon this. If there are to be three colors, 
do the same with the third sheet. Koll them firmly to- 
gether, and proceed to cut out the lozenges. 

Conversation LoT^enges. These are made by 
printing words or short sentences upon them, with a little 
stamp, which is first lightly pressed upon a pad of red 
color, and then upon the face of the finished lozenge. Eub- 
ber stamps are much used for this purpose. 

Hing Loxenges, These are made by having two 
cutters, one cutting a lai-ger circle than the other. The 
lozenges are cut out with the larger cutter, one at a time 
7 



42 CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 

(and separately)^ and eacli receives a second stroke (tliis 
time from the smaller cutter), that cuts out the center, 
leaving a ring. Both cutters should be very sharp and 
6lean. The centers may be cut in this manner from any 
of the other shapes, thus making a great variety of fancy 
lozenges. 

Crystal Lozenges* Use the coarser particles of 
granulated sugar, sifting out the liner portions. 

Lozenge I^ipe, Roll small portions of the dough 
into long, slender sticks, with a flat, smooth board, the 
same as for other sticks. Use sifted sugar to prevent its 
adhering to the board. They may be colored and flav^ 
ored as desired, before rolling. 

Coltsfoot JPipe or Mock, Simmer gently for ten or 
tifteen minutes in a covered vessel, a quarter of an ounce 
of dried coltsfoot, in two gills of water. Then add sufii- 
cient water to replace that which has boiled away (that 
is, making it two gills, as at first), strain, and use this liquid 
for dissolving the gum in the same proportion as given on 
page 39. If this quantity of coltsfoot does not give sufti- 
cient strength, use a half ounce to two gills of water, 
instead of the quarter ounce. Make the dough, and roll 
out portions into long sticks. 

CEEAM WORK, 

The foundation for all cream work, such as Bonbons^ 
Cream Nuts, Chocolate Creams, Cocoanut 
Creams, etc., is as follows : To every pound of the best 
white sugar, allow two gills of water. Boil without stir- 
ring, to between the feather and the soft ball (see page 21). 
It it is desired to have the candle? very soft and melting. 



CANDY MAKIKG AT HOME. 43 

boil tlie solution to the feather, but if a firmer and harder 
consistency is preferred, it may be boiled a little longer, 
thus carrying it nearly to the soft ball. When it is ready, 
remove from the fire, and after allowing it to stand for a 
few moments to cool slightly, add the flavoring, and with 
a wooden spoon, or spatula, begin to rub and scrape the 
solution against the sides of the vessel, continuing this 
operation until you have before you a firm, yet delicate, 
cream-like mass. The rubbing and scraping, should bring 
the solution to this "creamy" state, within a few moments, 
but if not boiled long enough, it may refuse to become 
firm, and will remain in a very soft and liquid condition. 
For cast work this is preferable, but for Cream Nuts^ 
etc., stir in a little of the finest sugar dust, if necessary, until 
suffieient firmness is obtained. Adding the sugar however, 
will make a coarse cream, very difierentfrom that properly 
made. If, on the contrary, the creamy mass stifiens too 
rapidly, it may be thinned by adding a very little water, 
taking care to add but a small quantity at a time, or it 
will become too soft. 

For convenience. Cream Bonbons may be divided 
into three principal classes ; the Holled, the Caatj and 
the Dipped Bonbons. 

Boiled Cream Bonbons* With the fingers, roll 
portions of this cream, into little round or oval balls, 
rolling each one as it passes from your hands, in pulver- 
ized sugar, (which may be tinted pink if desired, for a 
variety), and then place it on a clean, dry, plate or tin, to 
harden. Round balls, are made, by putting a small por- 
tion of the cream into the palm of the left hand; then 
with the palm of the right hand, roll it around several 
times, and it will quickly become a perfect sphere. These 



U CAKDY MAKING AT HOME 

may be flavored and colored as follows: Vanilla 
(white), Lemon (yellow), B^ose (red), Coffee (yellow), 
Chocolate (brown\ by stirring in two ounces of mel- 
ted chocolate (to each pound of sugar), as you begin the 
operation of "creaming;" and Cocoanut (white or pink), 
by stirring in one or two ounces of the very finest, grated 
cocoanut. 

Cast Bonhons. "Cream" the solution, until it 
stiffens, then allow it to stand until cold. Prepare the 
moulds, which may be of any the following forms : hearts^ 
diamonds, ovals, rings, square or flat bricks, dome-shape, 
etc, etc. Now set the kettle that contains the cream into 
another, containing boiling w^ater, and allow it to slowly 
melt, stirring all the time. If very hard, add a few 
drops of water, but not too much, for the heat will also 
liquify it, and there is danger of making it too soft. Tint 
and flavor as desired, then carefully fill the moulds. Try 
to fill the moulds with one movement, and avoid per- 
mitting a drop or two to fall into the indentation first, for 
if this happens, the finished bonbons will have rough, or 
uneven places on them. If the cream becomes too stifl' 
to pour, warm it again, but it should never be allowed to 
become over-heated. It should be melted, and no more. 
These are made with the same flavors and colors ^s the 
preceding, but many fancy styles may be invented, to 
suit the taste and skill, of the amateur candy-maker. 
They may be cast in two or three colors, by pour- 
ing a little of each color in succession into each jnould, 
allowing the preceding color, time to set slightly, before 
adding the second. They may be one color for the body 
of the bonbon, and have a top of some contrasting color. 
In short, the variety that may be made, is simply without 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 45 

end. As soon as tliej become set in the moulds, and are 
hard enough to handle without danger, remove from the 
powder, and brush them perfectly clean. They may be 
crystallized, if desired . 

Dlpjyed bonbons. These are either rolled or cast 
bonbons, that have been dipped into liquid cream of some 
contrasting color, or different flavor. For instance, white 
vanilla bonbons, may be dipped in pink-tinted cream ; 
coffee bonbons, may be dipped in white, and chocolate bon- 
bons in cocoanut covering, etc., etc. For chocolate coating, 
see Chocolate Creams, 

Cream Nuts. These are made from rolled bonbons 
by placing tlie wliole meats of nuts, on the outside of the 
ball (on one side only, or on both), and firmly pressing 
them in, until tliey are retained by the edges of the bon- 
bons. Or, they may be imbedded in the center of the 
bonbon. The nuts usually employed, are sweet al- 
monds and English walnuts, but any others may 
be used. The almonds may be deprived of their rough in- 
ner coating, by throwing the nuts after they have been 
shelled, into scalding water, allowing them to remain for 
a moment or two, when they may be rubbed free from 
this covering. 

Cream Dates, Raisins, Apricots, &c. These 
are made by extracting the seeds, and filling the cavity 
with cream. CreaiU Strawberries may be made, by 
dipping the clean, dry, hulled berries into the melted 
cream. These should be made fresh when wanted, for 
they spoil within a few hours after making. Other fruits 
may be dipped in the same manner, the only care being 
to have the cream for coating rather thick, and the fruit 
dry. 



46 ' CANDY MAKING AT HOME, 

CJiocolate Creams, These are also called Choco- 
late Cream Drops. They are -either rolled, or cast 
from the cream, and then dijDped in melted and sweetened 
chocolate. The real French chocolate creams^ 

are very soft, meltmg even in the heat of the hand. It 
requires some care to make this kind, for it is difficult to 
coat and handle them even as little as is necessary, with- 
out injuring them, as they melt so •quickly. To make, 
boil the sugar to the feather, ''cream" it, cool, re-melt, and 
pour into the moulds. Properly made it will be very soft 
When firm, take them from the moulds, and put them in 
to a hair sievd, and with the least possible handling, brush 
off all the adhering powder. Keep them where it is cold, 
until ready to use them. Melt the chocolate by putting 
it into a cup, and setting over boiling w^ater, but do not 
allow the chocolate itself to boil, or become over-heated as 
it requires little heat to melt it, and that is all that is 
necessary. If it is too thick to cover w^ell, it should be thin- 
ned with a little melted cocoa-butter, or a little of the purest 
olive oil, but do not add too much. Or, it may be thinned 
by adding to each cake of chocolate (that is, every half 
pound cake, which contains eight ounces or squares), half 
an ounce of gum arable dissolved in two tablespoonsful of 
warm water. When the covering is right, it will flow 
easily, without being too thin, and cover the creams, with 
a rich, browm, coating. If you are obliged to sweeten 
your own chocolate, use eight ounces of the finest sugar 
dust to each half pound of the plain melted chocolate, 
stirring it until perfectly smooth. Thin, as before. If you 
can procure the so-called Chocolate Liquor, do so by 
all means, for it saves much trouble. 

To coat the Chocolate Creams. Dip them into 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 47 

the melted chocolate (which should not be too warm), 
one or two at a time, roll around for an instant, then 
lift them out upon tlie tines of a broad fork, drain 
slightly on the edge of the vessel, to remove the superflu- 
ous covering, and then place upon tin sheets or plates, 
over which only a trace of butter has been rubbed. Allow 
them to remain until firm. Tliej may be made with the 
inside part in various style. It may be white, yellow, 
pink, or brown, and the flavors nuiy be Vanilla ^Leinon 
Coffee^ Jtose, Chocolate or Cocoanut, 

If a stiffer cream is desired, cook the sugar a little long- 
er (see directions at the commencement of this article). 

Chocolate Cream Bricks, JRolls, Bars, Sticks , 
Mice, Beetles, etc., etc., etc., may be made, by using 
the corresponding moulds. 

Cocoanut Creams, These may be entirely of co- 
coanut cream, or the inside may be plain, and then 
dipped in melted cocoanut cream. The forms are as var- 
ied as any of the others. Only the very finest grated, or 
soft dessicated cocoanut should be used for the coating 
purposes. ForCocoaniit Cream Bar, see article on 
BARS, page 38. 

For Jellied Cream Bonbons and Bricks, see 
article on Jelly WorJc, page 48. 

There is another form of bonbons, that may be made 
by mixing the beaten white of ej^^i with sugar, in the pro- 
portion of one egg to every pound of the finest sugar dust, 
adding a little water if too stiff. It may also be used for 
the cream nuts. This makes very good bonbons, although 
they wholly lack^ the genuine creamy qualities, found in 
those made from boiled sugar. 



48 CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 



JELLY WOEK. 

Dissolve ill as little water as possible, one quarter ounce 
(or, one half ounce if you wish the jelly to be quite firm) 
of the best relined gelatine. The French gelatine of the 
quality known as the "gold label" brand being perhaps 
the best. While this is dissolving, take a pint of jelly of 
any flavor (although apple jelly is commonly used) and 
place it over boiling water, where it will slowly melt, but 
not boil. Mix the dissolved gelatine with the liquid jelly, 
stirring thorouohly, add color if desired, and when jper- 
fectly cold and slightly stiffs pour into the indentations, 
which you have made in the powdered starch or sugar, 
in the moulding trays. These moulds may be made in 
the form of clusters of grapes (the under side being flat, 
of course), diamonds, squares, bricks, thick lozenges, 
dome-shape like gum drops, stars, rings and beans. Allow 
them sufticient time to stiffen thoroughly, before remov- ' 
ing them from the moulds. Shake them in a hair sieve, 
then remove any adhering powder with a soft brush. 
They may be left plain, or they may crystallized, iem- 
on Jelly is tinted yellow, and flavored with lemon : 
Rose tlelly is colored red, and flavored with rose. 

Assorted Flavors, Apple, Crab-Apple, 
Cherrg, Currant, Barberry, Blackberry, El- 
derberry, Grape, Peach, Plum, Orange, 
Quince, Raspberry, Strawberry, Whortleberry 
and Wine flavors may be obtained by using these difl"- 
erent jellies. 

Jelly Cream Bricks and Bonbons, Make the 
same preparation, and fill the indentations in the trays 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME 49 

half full ; when it has set, fill up with Cream (see 
Cream Work) that has been slightly melted. Do not 
have it too warm, or it will melt the jelly. Let them re- 
main undisturbed until tirm enough to handle. This 
Cream may be flavored with Lemon pilose. Vanilla ^ 
Chocolate 9 Coffee, Oranffe, Cocoamit, etc, 

Dipped Jelly Bonbons. These may be dipped 
in Cream of any desired color and flavor, or they may 
be dipped in melted sweet chocolate, when they are 
known as Jelly Chocolates, 

The reason for not pouring the melted jelly into the 
moulds when warm, is, that if the liquid is thin, it will 
quickly absorb the sugar or starch powder, and run all 
through it, injuring the powder, and, of course, ruining 
the candy. It should be cold and thick (like honey), as 
it appears just before it begins to solidify. Take this same 
care regarding Gum I>rops. 

GUM DIIOPS. 

Dissolve about one ])Ound of the best quality of granulated 
gum-arabic, in three gills of water, by heating it over a 
moderate fire, stirring constantly. Do not allow it to boil. 
Strain, and after you have washed out the kettle, return 
the liquid gum, and add twelve ounces of pulverized sugar, 
and two gills of water. Let this boil down to a very thick 
liquid {evaporatio?i being the safer way, however), page 59, 
so thick that it will pour only very slowly from the kettle. 
Stir constantly, being careful not to allow it to burn. 
Then remove from the fire, flavor and color (if desired) 
and put it aside to settle. Meanwhile, prepare the mould- 
ing trays, and niake indentations of the usual form for all 
8 



50 CAKDY MAKING AT HOME. 

gum-drops, and when the contents of the kettle are cold, 
and honey like,carefully skmi the surface of the solution, and 
till the moulds. When they are all filled, sift a little fine 
sugar or starch powder over the tops, and put them away 
to harden. Do not disturb them for two or three days, 
then remove from the powder, and if they are sufiiciently 
firm to bear the handling, put them into a hair sieve, and 
gently shake until the particles of powder are removed. 
Then brush them with a broad, and very soft brash. 
When thoroughly dry, they may be crystallized, or left 
plain. 

The usual flavors are Lemon (yellow), Rose (red), 
Wintergreen (uncolored). 

PULLED CREAM CANDIES. 

As no cream of tartar is added to this variety, the ama- 
teur will probably find his or her first attempts, resulting 
in nothing but a hard and coarse sugary mass. Rapid 
boiling will lessen this danger. Never stir it ; keep the 
cover on the kettle, removing only to test the progress of 
the boiling, or to skim oif the scum. If the syrup remains 
clear and colorless, it is probably doing well, but if it be- 
gins to look cloudy, and if, upon cooling a spoonful in 
water, it turns sugary, the candy will quicky grain after 
being poured out to cool. In this condition it cannot be 
pulled, so when this trouble occurs, re-weigh the sugar, 
and make up the quantity with fresh sugar, to cause it 
to weigh the same as when you began. Add water to it in 
the proportion of one gill to every half pound of sugar, 
replace it upon the fire, and boil it Qver again. Stir it 



Candy making at home. si 

occasionally at first, to dissolve the lumps, but discontinue 
as soon as it commences to boil. 

If all goes well, however, boil rapidly to the soft crack, 
flavor and pour out to cool. Pull as quickly as possible, 
until it feels soft and light, when pressed between the fin- 
gers. If not pulled long enough, it will be coarse-grained, 
while on the contrary, if pulled too long, or, if too long a 
time is taken for the operation, it will sometimes suddenly 
turn to a sugary powder in your hands, before you can 
lay it down. This last accident, is usually preceded by a 
peculiar, and very noticeable chan j;e from a flexible con- 
dition, to a heavy and damp appearance. If you observe 
this, lay the candy down at once, for it will not bear fur- 
ther handling. At other times, it may be pulled from the 
beijinninof to the end, without the occurrence of this diffi- 
culty. 

Draw^ out into wide, rough, flat bars, or into sticks, or 
if preferred, bits may be cut from the sticks with shears, 
thereby forming one variety of drops. Let them remain 
upon a clean, dry tin, or platter for a few hours, until they 
become creamy, then put away in air-tight boxes or jars. 
If exposed to the air for any length of time, this candy 
becomes hard, and loses the delicate and melting quality 
that characterizes it. 

Vanilla Cream Candy* One and a half pounds 
of white sugar, and three gills of water. Boil rapidly to 
the soft crack, flavor with a teaspoonful of strong extract 
of vanilla, cool, and then pull until pure white. 

Lemon Cream Candy, Same as preceding, but 
flavored with lemon. Color with tincture of saffi'on. Pull- 
ing changes it to a delicate cream-color. 

Orange Cream Candy, The same, flavored 



62 CAKDY MAKING AT HOME 

with a few drops of extract of orange, or you may use the 
oil of neroli. Tint it yellow if desired. 

Hose Cream Candy, Same, flavored with a few 
drops of pure otto or extract of rose. Color red. Pulling 
changes it to a pale rose-pink. 

Chocolate Cream Candy. The same, adding 
dm*ing pulling, two ounces of melted plain chocolate. 
It will turn to a fawn-color during pulling. 

CARAMELS. 

Chocolate Caramels. Dissolve one and one half 
pounds of white sugar in three gills of cream, or very rich 
milk. Then add three ounces of melted chocolate. Boil 
rapidly stirring constantly (adding a half teaspoon- 
ful of cream of tartar, dissolved in a little hot water, after 
it has boiled about fifteen minutes), until it reaches the 
soft crack, or until a little of it, that has been dropped 
into cold water, will not adhere to the teeth when eaten. 
Do not boil it until it becomes too hard, however, for the 
beauty of the Cararnel lies in its delicacy. Pour out 
to cool into wide and shallow tins, in layers about half an 
inch thick. Do not scrape the bottom and sides of the 
hettle lohen pouring out, for this part may have become 
grained, and to mix it with the rest, would injure it. 
Scrape this part into a separate tin, or on one side of the 
rest of the candy where it will not mingle with it. Ilave 
the tins well buttered, and cut the candy into thick squares 
or small cubes, when nearly cold Use the ruler described 
on page 8 to press the lines, rubbing a trace of butter on 
itsedgft, if it is inclined to drag the candy. It requires 
skill to make first class caramels, and they should be made 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 53 

fresh every day when wanted, for they spoil quickly. 
It is now the regular practice of many confectioners to 
use paraffi[ie in their caramels, for this preserves their 
delicacy, retards their tendency to harden, and also keeps 
tliem in shape. For every day making, however, para- 
ffine is not used. 

Vanilla and Lemon Caramels may be made 
by flavoring the preceding, with very strong extract of 
either of the two flavors. Cocoanut Caramels are 
made by stirring in at the soft ball, two or three ounces 
of the very tinest grated cocoanut. Add a little at a time, 
stirring constantly. If it is poured in, all at once, it is 
liable to gather into lumps. For Maple Caramels, use 
pure maple sugar (j^owdered) in place of the white sugar. 

Max>le Chocolate Caramels and Maple Co- 
coanut Caramels may be made by adding these dif- 
ferent articles, the same as foregoing. 

3Iolasses Chocolate Caramels. Boil one pint 
of New Orleans molasses to the soft crack. Just before 
pouring out, stir in two ounces of melted chocolate Add 
one ounce of butter at the soft ball, if you wish. The 
cream of tartar may be omitted, and it is not necessary to 
stir this variety, 

STICK CANDY. 

As all liard-boiled candies retain the heat much lonscer 
than those that are boiled only to a lower degree, confec- 
tioners during the process of working them, sometimes 
wear a glove to protect their hands because this variety re- 
quires rapid and steady manipulation, to bring it to the pro- 
per condition,while still flexible. Work in a warm room, or 



U CAiSfDY MAKING AT tloME. 

near a fire. Also, do not pour the scrapings from the 
kettle, into the mass while cooling, for that portion may 
be upon the point of graining, and will quickly affect the 
whole. Do not attempt to make this variety until you 
have had some experience at candy making. For prac- 
tice, a small quantity may be boiled to the soft crack only, 
in which case, it will remain flexible much longer, and 
thus the art of striping may be learned more easily. 

Boil one and one half pounds of the best white sugar to 
the hard crack, adding at the soft ball, a half teaspoonful 
of cream of tartar, dissolved in a little hot water. Keep 
the cover on the kettle, and boil over a brisk fire. If the 
sticks are to be clear and transparent, add the flavor and 
color before pouring out to cool, but if they are to be 
made of pulled candy, this may be done afterward. 
Pour out to cool, in well buttered tins. Do not allow it 
to cool too long, for it must be worked while still soft, 
because it stifl'ens very rapidly, when cold. 

Clear Sticks, Flavor and color with the least pos- 
sible stirring necessary to thoroughly mix it, before pour- 
ing out to cool. When the candy can be handled, take it 
up, and shape it into a thick, round, form. Lay this 
upon a smooth, level surface, (which may be rubbed with 
a slightly buttered rag), and with a smooth, flat board, or 
with the hands, roll the mass backwards and forwards a 
few times, until it becomes perfectly round. Do not press 
too heavily upon the roll with the board, or it will flatten 
it, and make it troublesome to roll. Now draw this out 
between the hands, until it is drawn into the proper size 
for sticks, cut into convenient lengths, and then, roll each 
one until it becomes round and even in size. Cut into 
slicks of about four inches long, by striking with a sharp 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 



knife, at the proper distance. The candy should not be 
too soft, nor should it be too stiti*. In the first condition, 
it will adhere to the roller board, and in the second con- 
dition, it can not be easily rolled. Experience will teach 
all this, and also how to overcome these difficulties. 

Pulled Round Sticks. The candy is })ulled until 
it becomes pure white, but cease pulling before it becomes 
too stiff to handle. Pull rapidly, and draw in the flavor- 
ing, by pouring a little strong extract, or flavoring oil 
into the mass, as you begin to pull it. It may be tinted 
in the same way, if desired. Draw out into a thick roll 
and with the board or hands, roll it perfectly round in 
form. Draw out again, cut into convenient lengths, roll 
and cut into sticks. 

Striping Round Sticks. Eeserve a portion of 
the boiled sugar separate from the rest (do not use the 
scrapings of the kettle, however, for this purpose), and 
color it bright, clear red, with as little stirring as will thor- 
oughly mix it, then set it aside in a moderately warm place, 
where it will remain flexible until required. It must not 
be kept too soft, however, or you can not use it when the 
times comes. Pull the rest of the candy, adding flavor- 
ing, etc., accoi'ding to the rule for Pulled Sticks, and 
form into a thick roll. Now, keeping this large roll 
where it will remain flexible, quickly divide the red strip- 
ing int6 small portions (you will soon learn the quantity 
required to make stripes of different widths), and roll them 
into slender sticks, of the same length as the large roll. 
Lay these slender strips upon the large roll, pressing them 
in slightly. Use one, two, or more, according to the kind 
of sticks you are making, having some stripes wide, and 
some narrow, and so on. Put them side by side, (but not 



56 CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 

touching eaeli other), on the ujpper side of the large roll. 
Now draw out the roll a little, then cut it into two por- 
tions, and laj them side by side, with the striped sides on 
the outside^ in every case. Press theni firmly together, 
twist evenly, draw out into convenient lengths, roll per- 
fectly even and round, then cut into sticks. This may 
seem easy, but unless the candy is flexible, it can not be 
done with regularity, nor will it present an even appear- 
ance, when finished. 

Flat SHchs. These are sometimes drawn out by 
hand, or they are passed through rolls that flatten them 
like a ribbon. They may also be made, by pouring the 
candy out to cool, in well buttered, broad and shallow 
tins, then with a ruler of the same length as the pan, 
press lines upon the surface of the candy, at equal distan- 
ces (as wide as you wish the sticks to be), and then they 
may be broken apart when entirely cold. 

Anise^ body clear, colored red, striped Avith four, fine 
white lines; Cinnamon, body pulled, colored pink, 
striped with three or four lines of clear red ; Cloves, 
body clear, or pulled just enough to give it a cloudy ap- 
pearance, colored yellow, striped with two broad stripes 
of white; Lemon, body clear, untinted, striped with 
white ; B^ose, body pulled, colored pink, striped with 
clear red ; JPepperniint, body white, pulled, striped 
with two broad, clear red stripes ; Sassafras, body 
white, pulled, striped with two yellow and red narrow 
lines; Vanilla? body white, pulled, with' clear red cen- 
ter, and white outside; Wintergreen, body pulled 
white, striped with two or three narrow lines, etc., etc. 

Fancy Sticks. These are made by combining two 
or more colors, and -the variety is endless. For instance 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME 57 

tlie preceding Vanilla sticks are made, by first rolling 
a stick from clear red candy, and tlien wrapping an outer 
coating made from white, around tlie red center, drawing 
out, rolling, and so on, thus forming one style of fancy 
stick. Other colors, such as pulled pink, with clear yel- 
low center, are very pretty, and any combination that 
may suggest itself to your mind, may be tried, with pleas- 
ing results. 

DEOPS, SQUARES, COUGH CANDIES, ETC. 

JPulled Drops f To nuike these drops, cut with 
strong sharp shears,bits of equal width from the ends of long- 
sticks (see article on Stick Candy), before they become too 
stiff. The combinations are almost endless, and b}^ exer- 
cising a little ingenuity and forethought, you can make 
a variety, from but one boiling of sugar. 

Transparent Drops. Same foundation as for 
sticks, only that the candy is not pulled, the coloring and 
flavoring being added with the least possible handling 
Directions for the management of transparent candies will 
be found on page 54. The flavors connnonly used are Anise 
(red); Lemon (yellow); and Mint (uncolored.) 

Hound Drops, As these are moulded by a machine 
they cannot be made at home, without the proper tools. 
They are made from both pulled, and transparent candy. 

Transparent Squares, Flavor and color, with as 
little stirring as will thoroughly mix it, and pour it out to 
cool in broad and shallow well-buttered tin pans, or trays, 
in sheets from an eighth, to a quarter of an inch in thick- 
ness. When nearly cold, mark with the ruler, straight 
lines across from one side of the pan to the other, then 



68 CAKDY MAKING AT HOME. 

cross these, with lines running in the opposite direction. 
Press nearly through to the bottom of the pan. Butter 
the edges of the ruler if it is inclined to adhere to the can- 
dy. When the candy is perfectly cold, turn the pan up- 
side down, and the contents will fall out, and they may 
then be carefully broken apart. This form is extensively 
used for cough candies. 

COUGH DEOPS OK SQUAEES. 

Flaxseed* Boil slowly (or simmer) in a closely cov- 
ered vessel, for fifteen or twenty minutes, a quarter of an 
ounce of fresh, clean, whole flaxseed, and two gills of wa- 
ter. When slightly cool (but not cold), strain through 
coarse cotton clotli,or a fine wire strainer, and add sufiicient 
water to replace that lost in boiling (that is, enough to 
bring it up to the two gills, again), and add one pound of 
either white, or the best yellow sugar, and boil to the hard 
crack, adding a pinch of cream of tartar at the soft ball. 
As this candy is so mucilaginous, there is danger of its 
burning. It may be stirred, if you do not object to hav- 
ing it grained after it is finished. Many persons prefer it 
that way, but if you wish it to be transparent, it should 
not be stirred at all. 

Sorehound, Follow the same directions given for 
the preceding, substituting a quarter ounce of dried hore- 
hound leaves. 

Iceland Moss, The same, substitutmg a quarter 
ounce of well washed, Iceland moss. Even after repeated 
washings, this moss will often retaiu a bitter taste, that 
cannot be prevented. 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 59 

Sli2)pert/'Elni Bark, Use a half an ounce of the 
sound bark, cut into small pieces. 

Liquorice, Use half an ounce of the sound roots, 
cut into bits, or crushed bj pounding with a hammer. 

Barley. Wash thoroughly half an ounce of pearl bar- 
ley Then boil same as foregoing. 

Do not fail to remember that these decoctions are not 
to be boiled rapidly. They should be allowed to boil 
gently, or, as was said at the commencement, to simmer. 

PASTES. 

These JPastes are cooked by a process called evapora- 
tion. This is done, by placing a kettle containing boiling 
water over a slow fire where it will be kept at the boiling 
point. Within this kettle, is placed another of smaller 
size, containing the substance to be boiled. It is a slow 
and tiresome process, because this substance which is to 
be cooked, must be stirred constantly from beginning to 
end, and it cooks very slowly. Keplace the water in the 
outer kettle as it boils away, but do not pour in enough 
to run over into the inner kettle. Also, see that it does not 
entirely boil away, or the contents of the inner kettle will 
be burned. 

Jujube JPaste* Dissolve half a pound of gum ara- 
bic (that which is coarsely powdered, dissolving more rap- 
idly than the finely pulverized), in three gills of warm 
water. Strain, and add half a pound of white sugar. 
Flavor with Lemon (color yellow); or with Winter- 
green (color red). Evaporate (stirring all the time) to 
a very thick liquid, then pour into slightly buttered plates, 
or trays, in sheets a quarter or a third of an inch thick. 



60 CANDY MAKING AT HOME 

When cold, cut with sharp shears into strips, squares, 
diamonds or any other form that you may prefer. Some- 
times a decoction of jujubes is inchided in this recipe 
(omitting an equal quantity of water), but Wood's "Dis- 
pensatory" says, that the addition of the jujubes is of no 
particular value, and that most of the so-called Jujube 
JPastes contain nothing but gum, sugar, and water. 

Fig JPaste, Boil over the regular fire, half a pound 
of fresh and soured figs, cut into small bits, in about a pint 
of water. More water may be added if this boils away. 
When the figs become soft, strain by pressure, through a 
sieve or strainer, and boil the liquid down to measure two 
gills. Then stir in one and a lialf pounds of white 
sugar. Evaporate this to a thick pasty mass, then pour 
into a suitable box or pan. 

In the bottom of this box or pan, should be placed 
sheets, or strips of white paper. These strips or sheets 
should be long enough to project an inch or two from 
each end, and from both sides, as well. Then when cold, 
by taking hold of the paper with both hands, the thick 
block of paste may be lifted from the pan without diflicul- 
ty, and may be cut into sections. Roll each section in 
sugar dust. If the paper adheres to the bottom of the 
mass, it may be removed by dampening it slightly, then 
tearing it off. 

White Nougat, Blanch half a pound of fresh and 
sound, sweet almonds, by throwing them (after they have 
been shelled) into scalding water where they should remain 
for a few seconds ; then their rough, inner coating, may 
be easily rubbed ofi" with the fingers. They may then be 
chopped, if desired, or be left whole. Now, put four 
ounces of genuine white honey into a small kettle, which 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 61 

is to be placed in another kettle, containing boiling 
water. Set over fire, and boil the honey to the 
soft ball. It is not necessary to stir this. Then stir 
in one ounce of sngar dust, and the well beaten 
white of one egg. Continue to cook, stirring con- 
stantly, until it will not adhere to the fingers when 
touched. Then stir in the almonds, until they are thor- 
oughly incorporated. Remove from the lire, and pour 
into box or tray using tl.\e sheets of paper, same as for the 
preceding recipe. Place heavy weights over the top to 
press it down firmly, and let it stand until cold. Then cut 
into thick blocks, with a sharp knife and dust each block 
with sugar. 

Vanilla Nougat may be made from the foregoing, 
by flavoring strongly with vanilla ; Lemon, by flavor- 
ing with lemon, and coloring with yellow ; Hose, by fla- 
voring with rose, and coloring pink, and Chocolate, by 
stirring in, just before adding the almonds, two ounces of 
melted sweet, or plain chocolate. 

Marslunallow Paste. Dissolve by heating over 
slow fire (stirring all the time) four ounces of granula- 
ted gum arabic, in one and a half gills (six ounces) of 
water. Strain when completely dissolved. Now, make 
a decoction of marshmallows by boiling three quarters 
of an ounce of the sound roots (rejecting any that are 
mouldy, or wormy), in about a gill of water, for ten or 
fifteen minutes or more. This should simmer rather than 
boil, and the vessel should have a closely fitting cover. 
Then strain, boil the liquid down until it measures halt 
a gill (two ounces) and add it to the gum solution, also 
stirring in four ounces of white sugar. Evaporate, stir- 
ring constantly, until it becomes a thick paste, that will 



62 CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 

not adhere to the fino^ers when touched. Then stir in the 
well beaten whites of two eggs, and continue stirring for 
a moment or two longer, then pour out and follow direc- 
tions given for Fig Paste. It may be flavored with Va- 
nilla or Lemon if desired. 

CRYSTALLIZING. 

To crystallize Creams^ Bonbons, Gum Drops, 

Fig Paste, etc., first free them from any sugar or starch 
that may adhere to them from the moulds in which they 
were cast, and see that they are perfectly dry. Place 
them in tin pans, upon their edges, with their corners just 
touching one another (to allow the crystallizing solution 
free access to every part), until the bottoms of the pans 
are covered with a layer of them. The pans should be 
immaculately clean, and their should be but one layer of 
candies in each one. 

To prepare the crystallizing solution, boil sugar 
and water to about the feather, allowing one gill of water 
to every half pound of the purest, high-grade sugar. 
Remove from the fire, and lay a damp cloth (cut 
to fit) over the surface of the solution, and allow it to stand 
until cool, being careful not to slial^e or distiirh it. When 
it is so cool that there will be no dano;er of its melting the 
candies, remove the cloth, and gently pour the clear 
liquor over the candies, until they are completely cover- 
ed, but not too deep, or they will be likely to float. Lay 
upon the surface, dampened pieces of cloth or paper cut to 
fit the pans, and with the greatest care to avoid any jar- 
ring, place the pans in a moderately warm place, where 
the thermometer records 70 degrees as the average temper- 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 63 

ature, but do not allow it to rise above 80, or tlie candies 
will be in danger of melting in the pans. Under one cor- 
ner of the cloth or paper cjvers thrust a little stick or 
broom &plinter ; this may be withdrawn and examined, 
from time to time, to learn the progress and size of tlie 
crystals. Do not jar the pan in any way, as that will in- 
evitably cause uneven crystals. Sometimes they are slow 
in forming, occasionally not appearing for sixteen or twenty 
hours, while at other times the candies will be covered 
with a sufficient coating within six or eight hours. The 
longer it remains, the larger will be the crystals, but for 
Bonbons, etc., only sufficient coating is required, to give 
them a sparkling appearance, when dry. When you are 
satisfied that the coating is right, cut a small hole in one 
corner of the cover in each pan, and raise one corner of 
the pan gently uutil the superfluous syrup has run out, then 
leave them in this position to drain and dry. Do not re- 
move from the pans until they are perfectly dry, which 
will take a day or so, then a quick, sharp, jar against a 
table, will loosen them, so that they will fall out, and 
may be broken apart with the lingers. A little of the red 
color, added to the solution when taken from the lire, will 
produce B^ed Crystals, while tincture of saffron, will 
cause yellow, or Amber Crystals, 

MISCELLANEOUS EECIPES. 

Bed or Pink Sand, Take half a pound (or any 
convenient quantity) of dry, white sugar, either fine or 
coarse, as you wish the sugar sand to be when finished. 
Put it into a perfectly clean and dry bowl. Pour in a few 
drops of the red color, using more or less, according to the 



64 CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 

tint desired, and with tlie hands or a spoon, work the col- 
or evenly through the sugar. If the color is not as deep 
as is required, add a drop or two more. Avoid adding 
too much at a time, for it is an easy matter to overdo it. 
Set away to dry, stirring it a little, occasionally, to break 
up any lumps that may form. Yelloiv or Cream-col- 
or Sand is made in the same way, using a little strong 
tincture of saffron to color; using more or less, according 
to the depth of color desired. 

White Icing, Mix tlioroughly, the white of egg 
and the finest sugar dust, to the consistency of a thin 
dough or paste. Spread it over the article to be iced, 
with a thin bladed knife, and allow it to remain undis- 
turbed until it hardens. This icing may be flavored with 
Lemon or Vanilla. For Chocolate Icing, stir in a 
sufficient quantity of melted chocolate. For Cocoanut 
stir in some finely grated cocoanut. It may be tinted 
Yellow with saffron ; Cream-Color, by using less of 
the saffron ; ^ed, with the red color, and Pink by us- 
ing a smaller quantity of the same. 

I^op Com Sails. Boil any convenient quantity of 
New Orleans molasses, to about the soft ball. Then have 
ready a quantity of freshly parched corn, selecting only 
the kernels that are full and white, rejecting any that are 
scorched, or half parched. Put these into a large tin pan, 
and pour a little of the boiled molasses over them. Work 
it through the corn with the hands, adding more, as it 
gradually becomes thoroughly mixed with the corn. If 
you wish to insure making balls of equal size, it is best 
to measure the quantity for each one. Take a pint meas- 
ure, fill it with the sticky corn, then empty it, and squeeze 



CANDY MAKING AT HOME. 



65 



the corn into a ball between the hands, pressing it firmly. 
Set aside to harden, and proceed with the rest. 

Jied and White Corn Balls. Bo.l one pound 
of white sugar with two gill of water, *» -1^°" ^^^jj^f;^ 
ball Use this to stir into the corn, m place of the mo- 
Les If Med Sails are desired, stir a few drops of 
r^l color into the corn, mixing it in with the hands ; ^so 
add color to the sugar solution before mixing it with the 

'° Cor« Cake. This is made from finely chopped corn, 
that is mixed with either the sugar or mo asses, according 
o the preceding recipe. It is ^1-1--^^^;-^,^^^^^^^^ 
rollers, that instantly press it into a hick, ^^\^^\J' 
Z.y be made at home, by putting it into a suitab e shal- 
C box or frame, and then placing heavy weights upon 
it Let it remain undisturbed until thoroughly dry. 
''■ (i^died FruUs and Nuts. For Oranges^ 
sele.. »v,ch as are sweet, and remove the peel. Then 
carefully remove tlie thick, white, inner covering, and 
separate the fruit into its natural divisions, being careful 
to'kp these, whole and sound. Any that are torn or 
broken, should not be used. Allow these d-^^ \°^ ^; 
main spread out on a sieve over night m order that their 
surface may become slightly dry, but do not let thein b^ 
come too hard. Boil one pound of white sugar and two 
Jus of water to the hard crack, adding a pmch of cream 
of tartar (dissolved) at the soft ba 1. Dip each o he 
orange sections into the syrup (while it is warm), holding 
it with fine tweezers, or by running a fine wire through its 
hard thin edge. Drain oft' the superfluous syrup, and lay 
th m de b/ side (but not touching one another) upon a 



6Q CANDY MATvIXG AT HOME. 

slightly buttered platter, or tin. In dipping Cherries, 
stem serves as a handle Grapes may be dipped in sma. 
clusters of twos and threes, and then suspended or struni^ 
upon cords, to allow the syrup to drain from tberr 
Apricots f Dates, Figs, Mais ins, Prunes, Cm 
rants, etc, may all be coated in the same manner. 

Fruits and Nuts glace. Boil one pound of tht 
best white sugar in tw^o gills of w^ater, to about the thread, 
then set aside to cool for a moment or two. Have the 
fruits or nuts at hand, and everything convenient, for the 
operation must be done quickly. Now, with a w^ooden 
spoon or spatula, begin to rub and scrape the sugar against 
the sides of the kettle. Kub in one place only, and as 
this portion begins to turn milky or white in appearance, 
stir it into the body of the sugar, and quickly dip the ar- 
ticles to be glazed, into it, two or three at a time, rollir^ 
them around with a fork until they are coat^-^ 
lift (using two forks, if easier to mann^ ' 
them upon a fine wire sieve, ocrape 

and rub the sugar solution toe , »viii stiffen. 



